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OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant was named winner of the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award for leading the Warriors to the 2017 championship. The 28-year-old forward scored 39 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists in Monday night’s series-clinching 129-120 win at Oracle Arena to wrap up a 4-1 series win over LeBron James and the defending champion Cavaliers. Durant, who moved from the Oklahoma City Thunder to Golden State as a free agent last summer, was the Warriors’ top scorer in every game of The Finals, averaging 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists, while shooting 60 of 102 (.588) from the field. “I couldn’t sleep for two days,” Durant said.  “I was anxious.  I was jittery.  I put in all the work and had to trust in it.” Established in the 1969 NBA Finals, the award is decided by a panel of nine media members and has been given to 31 different players. Durant, finishing his 10th pro season, made himself the favorite for t...

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Kevin Durant capped his spectacular first season with the Warriors by bringing home that coveted NBA championship he joined Golden State last July so determined to get, scoring 39 points in a fast-and-furious, Finals-clinching 129-120 victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. Stephen Curry added 34 points, 10 assists and six rebounds as Golden State closed out its second title in three years after squandering a 3-1 lead a year ago to the Cavs to miss a repeat. That stung ever since, and even Durant understood, because he gave up the same lead to the Warriors a round earlier with Oklahoma City. James, who in 2012 with Miami beat the Thunder in Durant’s only other Finals, wound up with 41 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Kyrie Irving followed up his 40-point gem in Friday’s Game 4 with 26 points but shot 9 for 22. This time, King James gave way to KD, who was the NBA Finals MVP 10 years after being picked second ...

LeBron James has performance for the ages to help Cavs finish historic comeback, deliver city its first pro sports title since 1964. OAKLAND , Calif . — When you win a championship for a deprived and beaten-down sports city that hasn't bragged in 52 years, the victory liquid of choice isn't champagne. No, it's much more organic than that, less bubbly, more personal.