Warriors First in NBA to Reach Five Straight Finals Since 1966

On Monday, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in overtime 119-117 to clinch their Western Conference Finals best of seven series and earn a fifth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.

The last team to reach a least five straight Finals was the Boston Celtics. From 1957 to 1966 the Celtics played in 10 straight NBA Finals.

Draymond Green called it special after being told of being the first since the Celtics in 1966. However he added that the team’s goal is to win and their work is still not done. Green posted his second consecutive triple-double for Golden State scoring 18 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and handing out 11 assists.

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On Monday, Golden State reached the Finals after rallying from a second half deficit of double-digits for the third consecutive game clawing back in Game 4 to force overtime after trailing by 17 points.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr commented that he hopes this accomplish does not go unnoticed or is not underrated since it was last done by the Celtics with Bill Russell in the 1960s and not since because it is very difficult.

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Stephen Curry once again came up big on Monday. The two-time NBA MVP scored 37 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. He also handed out 10 assists for a triple-double. Curry and Green became the first teammates in NBA history to post a triple-double during the same playoff game.

Curry has scored 30 or more points in his last five consecutive postseason games. He became the sixth player in the history of the NBA to score 35 points or more in each of the first four games of a playoff series joining an elite group that includes Elgin Baylor, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Jerry West and Bernard King.

Golden State swept Portland despite the Blazers leading more minutes (101) in the series than the Warriors (83).