The Golden State Warriors have won their first NBA championship since 1975 by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-97 in Game 6 on Tuesday.

Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala each had 25 points for the Warriors, who won the final three games after Cleveland had led the Finals series 2-1.

The Warriors overcame LeBron James' best efforts in the series and followed their 67-win regular season with a title despite none of their players having had any previous NBA Finals experience entering the series.

Steve Kerr is the first rookie coach to win the title since Pat Riley with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982.

James finished with 32 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists, falling just shy of what would have been a record third triple-double in the series.

He did not have enough support from an injury-stricken Cavaliers roster, and a half-century-long title drought in Cleveland continues, with no team from the city having won a title in the top level of U.S. pro sports since the Cleveland Browns NFL team in 1964.

Draymond Green recorded a triple-double for the Warriors, and for the first time since Gerald Ford was President, disco was in vogue and Rick Barry was flicking in free throws under-handed, the best pro basketball team resides in the Bay Area.

After falling behind by two points early in the third quarter, the Warriors took control with Curry, the league's MVP, and Iguodala leading the way.

They outscored the Cavaliers 28-18 in the third quarter, quieting a rocking Cleveland crowd and opening a lead even the brilliant James couldn't overcome.

Golden State, having pushed its lead out to 15 points in the closing stages, allowed the Cavaliers to creep back within four points in the final minute and a remarkable comeback momentarily seemed possible, but the Warriors hung on.

James returned from Miami to Cleveland to deliver a title to his home region, but the 30-year-old, left to do most of the work by himself after All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were injured in the postseason, came two wins shy.