It's the NBA Finals matchup most of the basketball world had penciled in prior to the start of the regular season, and now, we're going to see it for a third year in a row.
The Cleveland Cavaliers eliminated the Boston Celtics Thursday night at the TD Garden in a 135-102 Game 5 victory, and will now move on to battle the undefeated Golden State Warriors for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Never before in league history have the same two teams squared off in The Finals three consecutive years. The last two squads to meet in back-to-back seasons were the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs in 2013 and 2014, each winning a title.
Golden State took advantage of a Cavaliers squad that was without the services of an injured Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to become champions in 2015. Cleveland responded the following year by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to upset the 73-win Warriors and capture the first championship in franchise history, and end the city's 52-year title drought.
Such a historic streak has only taken place once in each of Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and National Football League, but not in quite some time. The New York Yankees and New York Giants were in the World Series from 1921 through 1923, the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final from 1954 through 1956, and the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns for the NFL championship from 1952 through 1954.
Game 1 of this year's NBA Finals goes down June 1 at Oracle Arena.
