Almost a quarter of a century, nine head coaches, 228 team members, and 947 wins later, the Toronto Raptors are NBA champions for the first time in the team’s history.
Led by newly-hailed MVP Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors defeated the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors 114-110 in Game 6. They won all three at the Warrior’s home court, the Oracle Arena. Throughout the series, it was evident that they have an edge as a team, offering a more diverse attack on offense and connecting better on defense.
The Raptors’ 24-year journey to a title has definitely been eventful, and most certainly worth the wait. Long before the intense championship moment Thursday night, when the bright lights of the basketball world shone down on the Raptors, were years of hard work, bold moves, and risks. Read ahead for all the details.
NBA Finals Game 6: A Thing of Beauty
The Warriors vs. Raptors Game 6 was a thrill-ride of clutch shot-making, lead changes and one breathtaking play after another.
There were a few notable moments throughout the game when the Raptors looked like they were buckling under the pressure of the moment. The Canada team had gone over two minutes in the fourth quarter without making a field goal, but Fred VanVleet changed the course of the game when he buried a three-pointer. This intense move tied the game at 91. But VanVleet wasn’t done with the three-pointers yet as he hit two more in the next four minutes. Those 12 points in the fourth quarter were part of 22 on the night.
Longtime Raptor Kyle Lowry was also a major contributor, scoring 26 points to go with 10 assists, three steals, and seven rebounds. Pascal Siakam, one game after getting benched for the balance of the fourth quarter, also made a handful of clutch layups and a pair of significant threes, making up his 26-and-10.
And then, of course, there was Kawhi Leonard, the ‘King of the North’ himself. Even with the focus of the Warriors’ defense on him, there was just no silencing Leonard. He got 22 points on 16 shots, despite double teams and physicality that was thrown his way.
Those four remarkable players accounted for 96 of the Raptors’ 114 in the game.
On the other hand, the Warriors fought an honorable fight. Klay Thompson, who was forced to exit after sustaining a knee injury during the third quarter and most likely turning the wheel of the game as well, finished as the leading scorer for the team with 30 points. Andre Iguodala pulled off another vintage game, scoring 22 points with triple threes. Stephen Curry made 21 points on 17 shots.
Not A Byproduct of Luck
Let’s make one thing clear: the Raptors’ first NBA title is not a byproduct of luck. It warrants no asterisk.
The Raptors beat the dynasty, beat the odds, and came out to do what they have all year. That is, to beat the conception of the old Toronto Raptors.
The Warriors did have a couple of major setbacks leading up to this game and even more so in Game 6 itself. 2017-18 season MVP Kevin Durant suffered a heel injury in his Game 5 after returning from a calf strain. The star-player was lost for the series, and experts even go as far as all of 2019-20. Kevon Looney was playing with a fracture of the first costal cartilage of his right rib cage. In addition, Klay Thompson who’s already suffering from a hamstring issue left the third quarter of Game 6 with a left leg injury. His injury has since been diagnosed as a torn ACL.
But then, let’s remember that this is the NBA Finals. Most of the key players, if not everybody, are already laboring through something physically if they’re lucky enough to be playing this late into the season. The Raptors also have their series of misfortunes, with Lowry needing to have a thumb surgery and Leonard coping with knee issues for the entire playoffs.
Still, it was not the injuries that determine the outcome of the Finals. The Raptors championship came from the efforts, perseverance, and talents of the whole team.
Risking It All for This Moment
Raptors President Masai Ujiri’s Boss Season
– Fires reigning COY Dwayne Casey to replace him with first-time head coach Nick Nurse
– Trades Demar Derozan for potential one-year rental Kawhi Leonard
– Rolls dice by acquiring Marc Gasol at deadline
– Raptors win 1st NBA title pic.twitter.com/MFlVE0UVfF— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) June 14, 2019
It could be argued that Raptors president Masai Ujiri risked it all for this moment.
First, Ujiri fired the reigning coach of the year, Dwayne Casey, after another playoff failure a year ago. He then promoted Casey’s assistant, Nick Nurse, as the team’s head coach. The rookie NBA head coach, of course, rewarded Ujiri for the trust he had given him.
Then there were all-star DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl. Both were shipped to San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Leonard wasn’t too pleased about the trade at first.
This was definitely a bold move Ujiri traded for Leonard, knowing full well that Leonard offered no guarantees that he would stick around past the final year on his contract.
Abandoning a carefully constructed roster and throwing caution to the wind, the Raptors were aware they had one chance to get it right. And getting it right they did, with a brilliant stretch of basketball that’s among the finest runs in the NBA history.
Now, the Larry O’Brien trophy is coming to the country where basketball was invented, where the first NBA game was played.
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