Warriors Vs. Cavaliers Season Four: What You Need To Know About The NBA’s Toughest Rivalry

The Teams First Met In 1970, But The Rivalry Didn’t Get Hot Until 2014

Photo Credit: George Gojkovich/Getty Images

The rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors is new. The teams met for the first time in 1970, with the Warriors barely edging out the Cavs 53-50 all-time until 2014. We saw both teams rising to extreme dominance at the same time and eventually meeting in the NBA Finals.

That year the Warriors, led by league MVP Stephen Curry, blindsided LeBron James and Cleveland. The rumor was that Akron-native LeBron returned to his home state to bring Cleveland its first professional championship since 1964. However, Golden State won in six games; an act James would avenge the next season.