The sport of basketball began with its 1891 invention in Springfield, Massachusetts by Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith. His reasoning was that it would be a less injury-prone sport than football.
So now the Canadian invention brings the championship title to one of the very best North American cities, and to our wonderful northern neighbors.
Oh Canada, congratulations!
11
The basketball gods decided the Warriors' time was up. Plain and simple. All the key injuries, and they still took it to six games? Makes me believe that a healthy Warriors team would have taken it again.
1
I liked the players.
I liked the fans.
I like the country.
Okay: Switch out the 'like' to 'love'.
Well done, Raptors!
8
Steph Curry chokes in almost every clutch game. For all the talk he’s come thru in 1 or 2 games out of a dozens of key games.
Curry is a joke!
2
@M.
Curry's rings and records are no joke, nor is the Warrior's mostly dominant 5 year run. Steph is more of a system player than someone like James Harden. And he's no phenomenal athlete like Lebron or Kawhi. But Curry works his tail off to make the most of his capabilities. When Curry is on, he can be unstoppable. And he's the ultimate team player and family man. No franchise could have a better public representative.
Unfortunately, the Warrior's past successes have spurred the league to catch up to their 3-point shooting pace and their movement heavy offense. The better teams have also learned how to defend the Warriors. Toronto fits that to a t, and kudos to them for wining the championship. They deserve it.
Although I recognize the key role of injuries in past Warrior's success, I just wish both teams could have been at full strength. Having two stars go down in succession with serious injuries really sucks, not just for this season but probably also for the next.
2
Toronto played Pat Riley defense in that they hand checked and kept bumping into Warrior players. Once again the referees looked the other way. The Finals were ugly basketball. But a fully healthy Warriors team would have smoked them.
4
Congratulations to the people of the Greater Toronto Area.
9
Donald has been spared sending out an invitation.
5
"Leonard hit three free throws in the final 0.9 seconds of the game."
That is some feat.
4
The clock stops for free throws. Kawhi was clutch, though.
Canada invented the game and it was a well deserved win! OH CANADA!
6
Hubie Brown knows better than to have voted for anyone besides Kawhi Leonard as the MVP. C'mon.
1
Does this mean Trump won't invite them to the White House? Shucks.
1
If Ujiri isn't executive of the year then something is amiss.
4
The title should be revoked. How can a Canadian team win a NATIONAL Basketball Association championship? Or perhaps they need to rename it the North American Basketball Association.
I dunno, we let the USA play in our National Hockey League don't we? 😉
18
Oh Canada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3
But Curry, throwing bombs from the half-court line, it wasn't enough this time?
Disappointed. Very. But what the heck. It's only a game.
A spectacular game, but nonetheless.
Hey! The NBA Championship was never won by a Canadian team when Obama was President.
Just sayin'.
6
Despite the Warriors being an injured all star team, it was so refreshing seeing a super star in Kwai, and a bunch of great role players in VanVleet, Lowery, and Siakam, Gasol and Ibaka go toe to toe with them and prevail. In this close out game the Raptors role players soared and led them to victory, as Kwai was being constantly double and triple teamed.
This was a great series, yes sad to see Durant go down, but injuries are part of the game. See the NFL if you want to see how they are not excuses.
Yay Raptors! (as NY Knicks fan, we need SOMEONE to root for no?)
4
Russian collusion against the US. Trump should sanction Canada!
Well, at least now there'll be no visit to the White House controversy - although I'm certain the Dubs would've been happy to limp by the Trudeau residence had they been able to pull off a miracle.
And now they have something to prove next season. Congrats the the Raps.
2
Toronto won by default to an injury plagued Golden State team. Toronto will always wonder if not all for the injuries to GS would we have won? While injuries are part of the game a true Champion wants to compete against the best players. In this case Toronto had to beat the bench and won only by 4pts in game 6. Championship ball or did they win by default??
12
@Frank Being healthy enough to play is part of the game. Toronto’ victory is just that, their victory. They beat the team they played against.
118
@Frank Fernandez
Injuries are part of the game, dude and being able to STAY fit for the duration of the season is HOW champions become champions.
Toronto won by being better athletes, not by default. They don't have to "wonder" about anything--they won it fair and square.
172
@Frank Fernandez
LeBron James played the final three games of last year’s Finals with a severely injured right hand. I doubt the Warriors have spent much time over the past year wondering if they would have won had James been healthy. Likewise, when the Cavs won in 2017, Curry had a bad ankle and Iguodala had a back injury. But no one’s talking about those injuries now.
87
I was glad to see the Raptors win though I'm a semi-long time Golden State fan (I started rooting and watching/attending games during the Baron Davis era). Congrats Raptors and Canada. Y'alls are some tough dudes.
Here's to hoping that Klay and KD recover in full. Five years of excellence is hard on a body. Also glad that Draymond and Curry made it through without major injuries. Had Klay not hurt his knee, I think it would have come down to the end of game 7. Splash bros. Draymond Iggy 4eva... (I like you too KD but would rather watch you lead your own team to a championship)
2
Congratulations to the Raptors on their NBA Championship. Congratulations to all the NBA teams. The association has shown they are all great Sportspeople. The Warriors are great champions and showed their class and moral strength in the series. The NBA will benefit from the willingness to share their championship with the world community. RAPTORS DID IT! Way to go eh!
4
As a fan of one of the 20 some odd teams who will literally never have a chance of reaching the NBA finals, I have to admit that I stopped caring about the playoffs a few years back. The predictability of the league, knowing that a small handful of the teams will generally win most years has made it very easy to lose interest. I haven't caught more than a few minutes of the playoffs in total in the last 3 years. Sounds like I may have missed out on a rare series worth watching. Congrats to the Raptors.
7
This likely marks the end of an era for the Warriors. What a great run, what great champions they are. So great, I was certain Curry would hit that final 3 to close out Oracle Arena with another miracle.
1
Over the years the Golden State Warriors have successfully won but that all changed during this championship. I think this article interested me the most because of seeing that the Warriors have already won so many titles that they needed a break. In this specific game, the Raptors were more prepared and they had more players due to some of the Warriors being injured and couldn't play. I think the thing that interested me the most was seeing how much time and dedication is put into this championship. Also seeing this time and effort everyone puts into the game. With the help of all the other teammates helped win the Raptors to a "Sweet Victory". During these games, we see that the Warriors have had many players hurt and that caused them to lose the championship in away. But they did make comebacks in their games. For the Golden State Warriors, a player named Kevin Looney had severe chest pain but he still played through the pain, no matter what he didn't give up. Going back to everyone's previous games we see that the Raptors and Golden State Warriors but they both got better as time developed. Also during these games, there were many ups and downs. Such as some players getting hurt but their teammates still helped them along the way, and with a decrease of some players the Warriors still put up a great fight even though they didn't win. I think this article really intrigued me because seeing the effort and the time that everyone puts into the game is just amazing.
1
I'm a Warriors' fan. I live about 20 minutes south of Oracle and have, from time to time, cobbled together enough sofa change and laundered money (the kind you find in pockets when you're sorting darks and lights) to attend a couple of games. But I'm happy for the Raptors. There's a unique joy in watching a team win the championship for the first time. Awesome to see that joy magnified by a whole nation of fans. Good for them.
18
“We have the best player in the league and the best player in these playoffs in Kawhi Leonard,” Siakam said.
That really says it all. You see I know all about this Leonard fellow, because I was a Miami Heat fan when the Heat took on San Antonio in the playoffs in 2014, and going in I knew all about Tim Duncan and Tony Parker and the rest of a crew that had created a dynasty for themselves. But I had Lebron James and Wade and Bosch and a whole cast of great players on my side so I was very confident, it was the classic case of the old Dynasty about to get beat by the young dynasty, but that's not what happened, because Kawhi Leonard absolutely dominated that finals, he was unstoppable. In this series you only saw a glimpse of what Kawhi was like against Miami, because here he was getting double teamed and sometimes triple teamed, the fact that he routinely had the other teams best defenders all over him gave the other players there chance, whether it was wide open threes or a clear path to the basket. Great players change the game in so many ways, and just as he did to the heat in 2014 which featured Lebron James in his prime, just as he did to Antetokounmpo on Milwaukee this year, he is the best player on whatever court he steps onto. Every great player has a certain uniqueness about them, with Kawhi it is an almost supernatural calm that makes him unstoppable. He harnessed inner resolve and shaped it into destiny.
9
The Warriors at the end could have won the game. Even with all the injuries the Warriors played with tremendous heart. The Raptors are a very good team and they play with a lot comradery. The Warriors seemed to have some mysterious defending champions power to make this an exciting 6 game series.
5
The first Warrior's championship in this run was devalued because of the opponent's health issues.
This year, the Raptors get the same treatment.
It's part of the game. Congrats to the Raptors. They're the Champs. They earned it.
But, as a long time Warrior fan, I'm proud of the way my team conducted itself, on and off the court.
19
I have to give NBA players credit, they make hundreds of millions, Kawhi just bought a 14 million dollars mansion in San Diego, yet the money doesn't spoil them, I have never seen professional athletes play with the kind of all out intensity, put the body on the line mentality as I saw throughout these NBA playoffs. From Durant's heroics, to Klay coming back on the court with a torn MCL to shoot his free throws, to players rushing out of the locker room after getting stitched up to get back into the game, players playing sick, or banged up, and I could go on and on. There is a lot of money in sports these days, and in many cases it has an adverse effect on the players, many get soft, especially in MLB, where big contracts lead to fat-cat players, who lose their edge. What we saw from the NBA players during the playoffs and especially during the finals was literally heroic, and the players should be congratulated, they showed themselves not only to be world class athletes but to be role models, character is destiny, and everyone of those players, all of whom gave max effort is a winner in the eyes of this sports fan.
8
Great all time Finals game 6. Congrats to the Raptors. They were the stronger and better team at the end. Congrats to Toronto and Canada for their support of their team. Images from Jurassic Park were terrific.
Congrats to the Warriors for giving their all. Get well and healthy to Kevin, Klay, Kevon, Andre, and all the Warriors. I am sad that my Warriors couldn't take it to a Game 7 but proud of my Warriors.
15
A little graciousness is in order. Congratulate the Raptors without the asterisks please. Coach Kerr admitted that the wear and tear of a long season are part of sports. The Raptors were a match for the Warriors and this was a hard fought series. The Raptors played with dignity, nerve, determination and tenacity and a calm that would not allow themselves to be rattled. The Warriors were champions, but did not win. This diminution of the Raptors' win and the sense of entitlement coming from some articles and comments is not an example of grace and class. Leonard himself said last night that when Klay Thompson was injured he was worried for his friend and not about the game. That is a classy response.
29
If it weren't for injuries the Warriors might have 0 championships. It's part of the game. Raptors beat a full strength Warriors twice in the regular season. Additionally, they took all three home games from the Warriors in the finals. The better team won period.
20
warriors fan here. i have to say the warriors acquitted themselves honorably despite the devastating injury to klay thompson late in the game. even with klay and KD out (love you, KD!), the team still gave the raptors a serious, hard fought challenge.
of course, the warriors would have won the series with both klay and KD on the court. but this is sport, and injury is part of the game. so, congratulations, canucks, good on ya! it builds more revenue for the league, and more bucks for everyone in the game.
6
Glad to be out of my misery. Just wanted it over. Was rooting for Toronto, but had no real dog in the fight. With all of the talk of who is going where next, it's hard to stay interested beyond just wanting them all to stay healthy. Few stay loyal to a team or a city. On the fence about how much to be invested emotionally even as I cheer for the independence these young men increasingly have and especially for how international the line-ups are. This is a different world. The best part for me is seeing them shake hands and hug after the game. Ready for football season. Glad to not see Drake on the sideline. Hoping Kawhi gets all that he's hoping for in or outside of Canada. That's pretty cool having a whole country rooting for you. Hope Klay and KD are fine in the long run, too. It was a messy series and just glad it's over.
5
Can't get my head around the idea of the Raptors as a "Canadian" team. Yes, it's Canadian-owned, but there is only 1 Canadian player on the team - and 10 Americans.
By contrast, the Stanley-Cup winning St-Louis Blues have 21 Canadians on their roaster out of some 30 players.
Now THAT's a Canadian team.
10
The Raptors are a Canadian team. It doesn’t matter where they’re from, they all represent this city and we’re proud of them for doing so. The tens of thousands of cheering fans taking to the streets in Toronto last night didn’t feel that their victory was Un-Canadian simply because the team members weren’t born here. They’ve earned social places in our hearts and they know what it means to be Torontonian.
4
The only reason Toronto won is due to the Warriors depleted, injury plagued lineup. If Golden State was at full strength, they would have won in five(5).
14
I agree, completely. Evidenced by how close the games were even WITH those injuries etc.
6
@DENOTE MORDANT Sour grapes much? As if the Warriors haven't benefited greatly from timely injuries to key members of their opposition over the past several years. The better team won. Toronto beat them twice in the regular season, and three times in their own building during the finals. GSW still started 4 all-stars including two of the best pure shooters to ever live, a former finals MVP, and defensive player of the year. Show a bit of class and admit that you just got beat.
16
@DENOTE MORDANT
And the cavs would have won in 2015, works both ways.
4
Congratulations to the Raptors and Toronto, a very fine city. No idea where do the Warriors go from here. KD will likely leave, although won’t pkay the next season. Splash brothers are still young and actually pretty good by themselves along with Draymond.
As a neutral fan I enjoyed the last 5 mintutes of Games 5 and 6, what drama and a tight finish!
11
Well, for whatever it is worth, the Toronto Raptors at least, won’t have to visit the White House, even if an invitation is extended by the current occupant. I am sure the entire team will show up at 24 Sussex in New Edinburgh, Ottawa, Ontario, the residence of Canada’s Prime Minister. And, as a GS Warriors fan, congrats to the new NBA Champs!
45
@Reuven Taff New Edinburgh, were not in Scotland, its 24 Sussex Drive & yes Mr Trump will extend a visit to the White House as Mr Busch did to the 92 Blue Jays
@Reuven Taff Our president has no business inviting NBA teams to the White House - especially a president in the shadow of President Obama who actually knew basketball enough to have his own annual President's NCAA bracket.
The only athletes Trump can with good conscience invite to the White House are: (1) the New England Patriots; and (2) WWE wrestlers - more for the owners of both organizations being his cronies, than for sport.
1
Two finals, two MVPs, twice stopping teams seeking threepeats and doing it in different conferences. Only one player has ever done that and he's not from high school, the ACC or SEC.
San Diego State University's Aztec for Life, Kawhi Leonard.
He's better than the weather!
8
The image of Canadians and Raptor fans cheering the injury of Kevin Durant should be the enduring symbol of this series.
5
@MJfromCA: Please. There's a certain percentage of idiots in any crowd of humans anywhere. Don't get into that faux city-state tribalism fueled by media-driven hysteria.
A small number of people cheered that injury, yes. And you chose not to recognize the Raptors players who squelched that cheering in a spontaneous act of good sports that should make your heart swell. And far more people stood and cheered for Durant as he went off. Raptors players, again rising to the occasion, showed their respect for Durant.
6
@MJfromCA
For some people the enduring image might be of one of the Warriors' owners shoving and swearing at Kyle Lowry. Or, you could choose to flip that symbol, and note that in the hours after Durant's injury, Canadians sent him a large bouquet of flowers in the hospital. Or even the group of Canadians who quickly organized a Go Fund Me that raised $50,000 for KD's charity.
5
Really! You want to go there! You sound like your President when things don't go his way. Man grow up!!
4
Congratulations! I’m going to eat some pancakes with Canadian maple syrup in their honor this weekend?
7
Congrats to Raptors!! But it was shameful to let KD play. The coach should have overruled it. He wanted to help his team and now has lost an entire season and who knows how it will play out for him?
13
@MomT: Nothing in the media said this was more than a calf strain. I've had many of them myself, with recoveries from 3 days to 3 months. Nothing pointed to an Achilles tendon issue. Just bad luck.
And this comment also neglects to note that Durant has control over his own destiny. He's a grown man. Now, he's always been one to listen to the internet. That may have fueled and unwise return. Who can say? But blaming Coach Kerr is ridiculous: this is the same guy who sat Klay Thompson out in a Finals game - over the objection of Thompson himself - to protect him from aggravating a pulled hamstring. None of that accords with the image painted by this comment.
@MomT - KD was out with a calf strain, midway up the lower leg. in game 5 he went down with an achilles rupture near the heel. look at the videos of the two injuries when they occur, and the affected area he rubs with his hand on court. they are at opposite ends of the tendon, anatomically unrelated. i believe his choice to remain in the game was sound and his second injury was simply a freak event in a 7 foot tall man harshing on a pair of incredibly spindly legs.
Congrats to the Raptors. I think it is doubtful they would have won last night without of Klay Thompson’s injury and exit. Possible, but unlikely. It was a tough final series for the Warriors with injuries but they are still the best ever. There are more teams now than when the Celtics, for instance, dominated the sport.
7
@Denise: A lot of people throw asterisks out there. I'll note that Gregg Popovich has said that staying healthy to be on the court is a big part of being a championship. He was speaking about Jordan, as it happens (modern era with 30 teams and parity.) It can also be noted that the SPurs from 2003-2014 would have 2 or 3 more rings had key stars been healthy. I can count a few where they were loaded for bear if not for Duncan, Ginobili, or Parker practically hopping around on the court one-legged.
Kerr himself said it: the wear and tear of 5 seasons of 100+ games might have caught up with some of them. Draymond's shooting efficiency has plummeted. Andre Iguodala (my personal favorite from this team) and Shaun Livingston (a close second) have both declined with age this season. That's why it's hard to threepeat.
7
@Denise "best ever"? since you're northern californian, i'll assume you're speaking personally and sentimentally (as opposed to quantitatively).
2
@Metastasis - i also have a skepticism about asteriskization and i agree with Pop's leveling attitude. if you're going to asterisk injuries, what about jet lag, home court advantage, fan abuse? asterisk away, there's always an excuse for losing -- life is short and unfair, seasons are long and grueling. the championship means you survived it all, everything thrown at you, just like a videogame boss battle. so congrats, raptors -- you did it.
4
Every series the Warriors have played in the last 2 seasons, at whatever round, would have gone to the other team if Durant didn't play.
Stop with the "superior health" comments about the Raptors. It's just America's way of putting a "ya, but" asterisk against a championship won by a Canadian-based team. Canadians may come across as overly-sensitive on this score, but we remember the diligent efforts of the umpire guild to prevent the Blue Jays from winning their first World Series, including denying them a triple-play. We won't even talk about the colour guard with our flag upside down. Any team in the finals of a demanding sport is going to have injuries. We'll soon be hearing about which Boston Bruin or St. Louis Blue was playing with a broken finger, cracked wrist or frozen foot. So while we all feel for Kevin Durant and his injury, it should not be used to devalue the Raptors' win.
32
I'm a Toronto native who lives in Oakland. Talk about conflicted! The Warriors have slowly become my team but this year I had to root for the Raptors, because of my roots and because they were the underdogs.
But in a way, I couldn't lose. 😉
16
But I thought the Eastern Conference was supposed to be super weak? Their #2 ranked team beat the west's #1 ranked team. Let's not overlook that.
7
Deserved. If we could only get rid of Drake this could be an unalloyed good.
8
A new underdog NBA champion is a good thing for the NBA.
NBA dynasties rise and fall. There are way more players and teams than in the past. And the nature of the game and players have evolved. Much more international and talented mentally and physically.
There was no Bird nor Magic before either appeared. MJ Air was sui generis. So were Kobe and Lebron. Steph Curry and KD are unlike anything that ever happened before.
San Antonio did it Pop's way. Bulls and Lakers did it Phil's way.
Who is next? The Black Greek Yoruba God in Milwaukee? Zion or not ?
4
Blazers fans here in Portland were very happy to see the Raptors beat the Warriors—a talented but cocky team.
9
Said the bitter fan of a losing team. Lost 4 games straight. Steph Curry, for one, is the classiest, least arrogant person you could ever find with his extraordinary talent.
12
@Denise: That shimmy isn't arrogant? Draymond's flexing and doing pullups on the rim isn't arrogant? (he kicked Lowry doing such last night, and the officials either didn't see it or didn't want to call it.)
2
Yay Toronto! It's not just hockey anymore!
15
@thewriterstuff
Is Toronto ever hockey ?
1
The last Canadian Hockey team to win the Stanley Cup was 1993, since then the Blue Jays have won the world series and now Toronto is an NBA Champion. What is going on?
5
Global warming...
3
Congrats to Toronto and their fans.
What a thoroughly complete and deep team.
I am shocked they did not win 4 straight.
As for our Warriors?
They fought valiantly to the end but when KD went down again and then Klay, it was over.
It's going to be a a very different vibe and team going forward.
Klay and KD are likely out for next year and may never play for the Warriors again.
Curry is exhausted.
Draymond is a beast and the heart of the team. We need him.
Andre is likely retiring as is Shaun.
Cousins is not a quality center anymore after his achilles tear.
Bogut is done. Cook, Bell and Mckinnie are good young players but I don't see them as impact players.
Jerebko is very poor.
We could see a precipitous decline after such a stellar run.
The move into SF this fall has alienated many long time supporters of the team and I don't know what impact players the front office can get to come play here.
Again congrats to the champion Raptors and thank you Warriors for the past 5 years. It's been quite a ride.
17
Why does the NBA follow the silly tradition of giving the trophy to the owner? We need more Stanley Cup. Let the players take possession, or- to be fair- the superior GM who put this group together.
10
After reading many of the comments here and in order to placate the some of the disgruntled Warrior supporters might I suggest,
Add an asterix when referring to the winner of the 2018-2019 season.
Toronto * defeated a depleted Warrior team.
Get over it , the first team to win four games wins the series.
8
Remember when #warriorsin4 was trending on Twitter? Almost no one gave the Raps a chance, but look at them now!
WE THE NORTH!
14
Congratulations to the Raptors! And thankfully, the Canadian champions won't have to suffer through a visit at Trump's White House. Mr. Trudeau will be a welcoming host for all.
27
@Stevem
Julie Payette is our Governor General and it is she who will host the Raptors as the representative of our head of State.
2
Thank god ,they had become Television celebrities overcome by their own importance ,kind of puts things back into perspective may their losses bring much needed humbleness.
9
@Alan Einstoss
Exactly. And, we don't need to suffer through another off-season looking at Steph Curry's smirk.
8
Big congrats to the Raptors, Canada and Toronto! They were a worthy contender no matter what team the Warriors were able to field. In the same light, big congrats to the Warriors - they put everything they had left onto the court and so nearly forced a game seven. In my mind, it rates as one of the most courageous losses in NBA history. Thank you Dubs! You are still winners in my book.
14
I'm a Warriors fan but Congratulations to the Raptors.
True competitors!
Great and hard fought season, Warriors.
Looking forward to next year.
We'll miss you not playing in The Town though!
Don't forget your roots.
15
@JM Their "roots" were Philadelphia and then San Francisco before they moved to Oakland.
The Warriors are an amazing team, as are the Raptors, but Toronto had a touch of luck that propelled them further. Hats off to both teams for an amazing series.
12
@BDubs - not luck, just the talent on the floor.
11
@Nancy no it was the lack of class after Toronto fans cheered when Durant and Thompson went down. Enjoy the tainted victory for now.
2
@Armo: Sigh. You didn't notice the Raptors players quelling the small number of cheers?
Tribalism, still alive and well.
6
Why are you giving such a pass to the Warriors? Klay played most of the games, and they have an all star team. They were not as good as the Raptors without KD, so that injury was bad for them. A few years back the Cavs did not have Kyrie or Kevin Love due to injuries and the Cavs lost but they did not blame it on injuries nor did the sports writers give them a pass. Injuries are a part of sport and any team can get a few injuries. I do not feel for the warriors, The Raptors deserved the win, they played great, including holding Steph to 20 in the final game. in 2019, the better team won.
21
Warriors fan here... Great championship series congrats to the Raptors!
28
Congratulations to the Raptors who are an amazing team; highly skilled, focussed under pressure, creative, and respectful to the game of basketball including their opponents. NO question that they deserved to win the title. The refereeing was ridiculous last night, heavily favoured towards GSW bordering on illegal.
Congratulations to Canada well deserved and try not to be poor losers some of you GSW. The Raptors proved they are the better team. GSW had become overconfident as well and really not a pleasure to watch at all with some players behaving childishly. The Raptors are inspiring.
9
Just goes to show that you can't beat someone with two hands tied behind your back. Congrats to Toronto.
6
@David: No lesser being than Coach Popovich noted that staying healthy to be on the court is part of being a champion. This year, the Warriors are not champions. They didn't earn it.
2
Basketball returns to the country of its origin. Amazing.
13
@Francis McInerney
Basketball did not originate in Toronto . Don't get it twisted although Naismith was born there he invented it in Springfield Mass . New York City is the " Mecca " of basketball ( has nothing to do with the Knicks ) and the most important proponent of the game on the planet because of the millions of kids and grownups who have played and continue to play on the hundreds or thousands of courts around the City .
NYC also lit the fuse on basketball played in College with the NIT decades ago .
NYC will alway be the capital of basketball on the planet , but we congratulate Canada for finally finding out how great the game is . Congratulations to the Raptors for proving that the best team will always be a sum of its parts now who has 3 great players .
2
@VB
s/b for proving the best team will always be the sum of its parts not who has 3 great players .
2
It may have been invented in the US, but it took a Canadian to do it.
3
Go Toronto! Go Canada! <3
10
On the ground in Toronto, it's hard not to see the significance of the Raptor's victory. The country has changed since the city's beloved Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup in 1967. As a story, the Raptors' win has it all: fault lines of class, race, immigration, language and even the old insecurities about America's influence weren't far from the surface each night the Raptors took to the floor. On the eve of their win, I spoke with a longtime hockey player, who identifies as a deeply patriotic Canadian; I asked whether he was following the NBA finals? "Of course," he said, "but why do they keep playing that rap music at breaks and in the fan zone?" The answer, my friend, is that "we the North" has changed, probably forever. Toronto and Canada are stronger for it.
44
Did he really ask why they played rap music? Did he forget that one of the biggest rappers today is from Toronto?
Despite my location badge, I'm a red-and-white-blooded Torontonian. Some Americans might be surprised to learn just how racist we can be. 😞
3
@AMVS
For the record, the blaring rap music in NBA arenas in the USA has pushed away many an NBA fan. Some teams even turn up the volume while the game is being played. More than a few franchises in various markets in the USA are not attracting new fans, and this marketing approach is not helping.
2
@PN Really? Rap pushing away fans and not outrageous ticket prices? I ask this as a 60 year woman old who’s mystified by your statement.
1
The key take-away from this finals is the meaning of the combined Durant & Thompson injuries. I've learned over the years as a physician and patient that everything is connected, literally. Strain your left calf, and return to top levels of performance prior to proper healing, and you are placing greater requirements and stress and the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon, the largest tendon in the body, has strict limits on its ability to rapidly stretch. Exceed these limits and it ruptures. Durant's return to play placed him at increased risk for this devastating sports injury. Similarly with Thompson, who strained his hamstring, his early return placed him at greater risk for his injury. By the way, these "strains" are really tears in the muscle. Strains can take months to heal fully. Durant's was clearly not a minor strain as he was already out for a month. The incentives, some perverse, that lead to these and other players sacrificing their bodies can be admired or questioned. But there should little doubt as to what they are doing and why some make certain recommendations to the players and owners. Durant will never again play at his peak level and he was at his peak age too. Thompson should be fine. Physicians who guide players, coaches and owners should be completely independent. Good luck achieving that.
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@peter bailey Can't help but wonder if they had been injecting his calf with prednisone as well to get him on the court sooner but which may have further been a recipe for disaster for his achilles
2
Physicians did guide the players. The team didn’t force Durant back. The team did not let Thompson return after he hit two free throws with a torn ACL.
Please don’t imply, in this day and age, at this level, that teams ‘force’ players to come back. Players make the final decision, after input from the team, their agent, the team physicians, their own physicians, and others.
4
First, you rarely can predict injuries, but you can limit their potential and Toronto did an effective job of resting players throughout the regular season as needed.
Second, the depth of the Raptors felt unique, as various players didn’t just fill in to hold the line but unpredictably took turns making huge contributions.
14
Raptors weren’t ‘deeper’. Check out the stats on minutes in the Finals.
Raptors were healthier. Raptors played box and one on Curry; their overall defense was terrific. Raptors turned over the ball less. Raptors shot free throws better. Raptors had better play at center, by far.
But boiling it all down: Raptors win because Lowry and Van Fleet Shot the three-ball far beyond how they shot during the regular season. Van Fleet single-handedly beat the Bucks, and won Game Six of the Finals.
One could argue Van Fleet would not have shot so well, if Thompson had still been defending.
Which gets into the details of why did Danny Green foul Thompson on a clear unimpeded dunk, forcing Thompson to land on one awkward foot rather than two stable feet. Which, given the previous hamstring injury, blew out his ACL. But I’d rather not go there. I’ve torn my ACL playing hoops. It sucks. But life goes on, and is too short to wallow in blame.
So good for the Raptors. No doubt they can make a strong run for the next several years.
As a Warrior fan, rather than lament about what could have, or should have, been, I'd like to congratulate the Toronto Raptors for a well-deserved victory and NBA Championship. They are a very complete team, one that rose to the occasion, and that...played solid defense and shot lights-out for much of the series. They've got...probably four players that could start on most any team in the league. It was a hard-fought, exciting series, and...the best team, on the court, won. Well done.
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@scratchy - That was a very kind message you wrote. Kudos to Sportsmanship
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@GU21 Isn't that what it's all about?
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@scratchy
Thank you for your gracious comment and congratulations for the Raptors. It is even more appreciated after reading some other comments.
9
With Durant out for next season, the Warriors' mini-dynasty is likely over. Too bad. As a sometime fan I loved watching them, especially those great Finals with the Cavaliers. They played with the excitement and energy of a college team, from Grant's Bill Russell-like presence to Curry' and Thompson's amazing 3-point shooting. In the end, they needed Durant too much and Curry looked very mortal at the end, especially when Thompson went down for the count. Hats off to Raptors, who grit and athleticism were more than enough to make them champs.
5
Golden State has nothing to be ashamed about and, if Kevin Durant stays with the team, they still have to be considered the favorites next year. That team, when healthy, has so many weapons plus the addition of a new arena will help motivate continuing their dynasty.
3
@VJR - Durant is out for a year minimum, and they couldn't have extended him and Klay regardless. Klay Thompson has a torn ACL and will likely be out until the playoffs next year, at a minimum, and he's a FA. They have various other players dealing with serious injuries and on the decline.
I would say this was the last hurrah for the GSW unless they seriously retool.
8
I returned as an NBA fan when I first saw the Golden State Warriors play in 2015. So exciting and skilled, and tough on defense. Toronto plays bruising defense and has some outstanding shooters, but they’ll never be the Golden State Warriors in the skill department. I loved the Bucks this year, but I loved the Warriors and the way they played better. Hope they keep playing that way in the future. It’s the way basketball should be played.
5
The Toronto Raptors should feel extremely fortunate to have won. If Kevin Durant had played the whole series, not just a few moments, the outcome would have been different. Even without Durant in game 6, the Warriors were playing strong and looking at victory until the injury to Klay Thompson. So kudos to the Raptors. But let’s be real.
8
@Berkeleyalive let's be real: toronto won. warriors lost. no asterisks on this championship. get over it.
19
Berkeley - in the 2015 finals the Warriors had an advantage against the Cleveland Cavaliers as a result of injury. Kyrie Irving fractured his knee in game 1 of the finals, missing the remainder of the series. Kevin Love dislocated his shoulder before the finals, requiring surgery. This injury also sidelined him for the remainder of the playoffs, including the finals. The Warriors would go on to win the series 4-2.
Despite the circumstances, this was still an amazing accomplishment by the Warriors. This is the nature of sport - injuries are an unfortunate part and they do not occur timely. No reason to make excuses for the Warriors and diminish what the Raptors accomplished as 2019 champs.
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@Thomson Give it a rest. Golden State had already been to two finals in a row, and had literally the best regular season in NBA history before Durant arrived. They started 4 All-stars, two of whom are among the best shooters to ever live, a former finals MVP, and a defensive player of the year. The Raptors beat a powerhouse, and there's no "asterisk" on this victory. The better team won.
6
The slew of injuries the Golden State Warriors faced in this series, especially the one to Kevin Durant, brings to light once more the importance of listening to your body and not your pride, coaches, or teammates. On occasion, elite level athletes need to be saved from themselves. Their relentlessness got them to the pinnacle of their sport, but that same tenacity can wind up being their undoing.
I hope critics of Kawhi will now look at his recovery timeline with a fresh perspective. The NBA needs Kevin and Klay and I wish them a healthy and strong recovery, on their terms, at their pace.
Congratulations to the city of Toronto and their Raptors. Thank you for giving us a captivating postseason.
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I absolutely agree with you. Interestingly, the Achilles’ tendon that Durant tore was the same leg where his calf was bothering him. The same was true of Klay Thompson and his hamstring injury, as it was this leg he tore the ACL. I believe this was influenced by muscle atrophy (in Durant’s case) and latent injury, as a result both players were at risk of serious injury.
Despite many people criticizing the Toronto Raptors for employing ‘load management’ with Kawhi Leonard by reducing his playing time during the regular season, there is something to be said for minimizing the risk of injury - particularly for star players. Given the length of an NBA season (82 games), and additional games in the playoffs, load management will become a greater consideration for teams as we look at what transpired.
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@Brian Gómez very well said and BOTH the Raptors and the Warriors are to be highly commended. The former for all the reasons you've stated. And to the latter, for their tenacity, determination and excellence!
5
Ratings stink. Canadian teams are a TV disaster. Happy that Golden State lost.
@FLP A TV disaster? what do you mean?
2
O Canada! Uh-oh, Golden State. Sorry. Couldn't resist the unseemly gloat.
9
We stole their hockey.
They retaliated by taking the NBA.
Fair is fair. LOL
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@Alabama Speaks
Keep in mind that Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, is Canadian.
And don't forget lacrosse - stolen by both the USA and Canada from the Iroquois.
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@VJR
Rather than focus on "stealing", how about we acknowledge these INVENTORS and thank them for sharing their game.
Some credit, maybe, to the U.S. who has elevated these games to a new level with just the number of professional teams we host and tens of millions of more fans.
4
@Alabama Speaks
Thanks for the replies.
You're both insightful.
(My original post was just an "off the top" bit of humor.)
Man... You need to be in Toronto or in Canada to really feel the buzz. Toronto deserved to be happy and this team brought it to our city. Last night there were tens of thousands in the street, giving high fives, singing O Canada, just good vibes all around. I've never seen Toronto so happy before.
Raptors been through so many ups and downs. US media laughed at us, "well Raptors are going to choke" "Raps going to get swept" every year. Lowry has been unfairly criticized by sports shows every playoff for his entire career. It's Coach Nurse that really allowed this team to shine. He would ask players their opinions on plays, what do they see on the floor, etc. It's a system that's completely opposite to Papovich which is strictly his way. Coach Nurse let Lowry conduct the floor with Kawhi. And you saw the incredible feeds Lowry gave to Siakam, Ibaka and FVV, all this with an injured thumb he never really talks about. A thumb he says "he can't feel" and needs shots before games. After missing a potential Game 5 winner, he starts Game 6 with 15 pts in the 1st Q.
That's championship mentality. if you want to win, you need a player like Lowry that steps up and does the little things that don't show up on box scores.
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@MuchDoge
If Kawhi is taking regular cortisone shots, he is doing serious damage to his thumb and the Raptors doctors are over treating to keep him playing.
2
@michjas
Re the shots for the painful thumb, Muchdoge was referring to Kyle Lowry, not Kawai.
4
It's hard to believe all of this whining about the Warriors injuries being the only reason Toronto won the title. They have 5 all-stars on their team, and have for years been seen as being 'overloaded' with talent. Yes, they lost Durant, but having Steph, Klay, Draymond, Boogie isn't enough? They lost all of their home games. They were beat by the same Raptors twice during the regular season. They lost to a team with excellent defense, with multiple talented players who showed up during these finals. The Warriors themselves didn't even complain, and voiced their respect for the Raptors throughout and at the end of the finals. No excuses, this was a great series. Two classy, banged up teams, slugging it out to the end.
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@Joyful Noise You forgot to mention Iguodala who is an all-star they got to play sixth man... and he definitely played like an all-star last night. GS caught every break you can think of with their roster in the last 5 years...
2
@V. Sharma, MD Yup, forgot about him.
I thought Thompson was out for the 4th quarter?
Please...NO EXCUSES.
Raptors won.
‘Nuff said.
Congratulations to them.
34
Two words for Toronto fans - Maple Leafs!
3
WOW! Hard for some of you to take I guess. Maybe you are right, the NBA should have waited for Durant to be 100% healthy before starting the Finals and absolutely, last night's game should have been suspended when Klay went down. Oh wait, that is nonsense. The Toronto Raptors are 2019 NBA Champions, no asterisks needed or warranted.
Kawhi will stay. Kawhi trusts Ujiri to make the moves necessary to win - Ujiri just proved he has the stones to make the big moves. And Kawhi trusts the Raps medical staff to help him maintain his fitness to play and rest when necessary. And Kawhi trusts his teamates and his ability to set the tone here. Kawhi stays!
LETS GO RAPTORS!
41
It wasn't the injuries that got them, it was missed free throws that killed the Warriors. Iguadola, Cousins and Green were a combined 5-14 from the line.
29
@Carl Denham- and the turnovers - they had 16
It took two superstars to make the Raptors NBA champions. On the court Leonard was simply sublime. Single minded. And relentless. The best scorer and the best defender with an iron will. The other superstar Masai Ujiri.The best executive in the NBA. Toronto number one. And a great place to live.
23
Opportune time to reconsider the “National” in NBA and NHL: in the same week a Canadian-based team comes out on top in the NBA, a US-based team wins Lord Stanley’s cup in the NHL.
5
Cousins reminds me of a guy I used to know...always "one step forward and two steps back."
I was "watching" the game via the ESPN gamecast play by play and listening to the audio and it seemed like Cousins would make a basket and then immediately commit a foul or get a rebound and then turn the ball over or get fouled and miss one of two shots.
All that for a $17 million salary.
2
@Third.Coast: After his Achilles tear in NOLA, Cousins is on the veteran's minimum, I think. Or at least much lower than he was demanding as a star.
Dude can still play, but he sure does flop a lot.
Well done, Toronto. Especially winning on the road in front of a very hostile crowd.
26
I'm looking forward to seeing the Raptors enjoying their reception with Justin Trudeau in Ottawa.
I'm sure they'll have a better spread than the Warriors would have had at the White House.
30
@Jim S. As per their prior championships, the Warriors would have declined going to the White House. I hope the Raptors do, in fact, visit Trudeau and not Agent Orange.
5
The Philadelphia 76ers: The only playoff team to take Toronto to 7 games.
4
What has happened to the home advantage? Toronto was 3-0 in Oakland, but only 1-2 on their home court. In the Stanley Cup finals, St. Louis won the cup in seven games, going 3-1 in Boston and 1-2 in St. Louis.
I'm SO proud of this team! What started as a tough and slow transition year losing Demar Derozen and coach Dwayne Casey has turned into a history making achievement for this team, our city and our country. This team discovered how to recompose after adversity - each player contributing to outcome - win or loss. True grit. Toronto and Canadians as a whole are so proud of them all. Congratulations Raptors.
29
Well good for Toronto. But can we be honest and say that they won because first Durant and then, at the worst moment, Klay Thompson got knocked out. The Torontos won the war of attrition and were ever so lucky to escape.
Full team vs full team and they are out in a maximum of 6 days.
But OK, let's see them repeat!
Where will Kawai be next year?
5
@Jonathan Injuries are part of the game. Victory is victory. Get a grip.
16
@Jonathan
Sounds a lot like sour grapes. If you really analyze the games, it could have been Toronto in 4 games. Toronto outplayed them throughout, but give credit to the Warriors for their grit.
25
I commend the Raptors and their hard working and talented team. Yet this championship will always have an asterisk along side of it.
When you lose two of your top three players to injury, it's like taking Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen out of the Bulls lineup and say another team beat them.
Would the Raptors have won without Leonard?
4
Just like the Warriors should have an asterisk for beating the Leonard-less Spurs two years ago?
9
@James @Mickey McMahon
Or an asterisk last year when D. Green purposely poked 4 fingers into LeBron James's eye in the first game of the series, so the only real star on the Cav's team was forced to play the series while seeing double? I guess Green thought it was a slick move, as he did the same to Harden in the series with Houston year. I'm surprised he didn't reprise the tactic with Leonard.
But w/r/t to injuries not caused intentionally, the NBA should reduce the number of games and change the early rounds of the playoffs back to 5-game series. The playoffs are almost like a second season. These beautiful athletes become the walking wounded by playoff time
4
@James Or the Rockets without Chris Paul, or the Cavs without Kyrie and Love? Maybe we should go back and asterisk some of those wins?
5
Siakim is the only prominent Raptor signed past next year. Everyone else will be a free agent this year or next year. If Leonard stays, he has no idea who will be his teammates. That makes it likely he will go. And if he goes, so will most others. The Raptors look like one year wonders.
2
@michjas yes, but THIS year, THIS series they ARE a wonder!
15
@Ode. You traded one of the best and most beloved Raptors, DeMar Derozan, for what is likely one year of Kawhi. As Giannis would say, not so so smart.
2
Unfortunately , an asterisk will remain in the minds of everyone who saw this series due to KD's injury despite the Raptors deserving credit for playing outstanding on both sides of the ball , but that is the NBA's dirty little secret that's not a secret as injuries often decide who gets to the " dance " as well as who is standing at the end .
So, congratulations to Toronto , but when all the hoopla and made up narratives of a gazillion talking heads disappear in a few days what will remain will be the question of can anything be done to reduce injuries or the impact of injuries in a sport where top players can be guaranteed $200 million dollars for playing or not playing for 5 years that fans can barely afford the TV packages much less take their families to a game and get good seats ?
11
@VB Was KD injury a factor for the Raptors in the Philadelphia series or the Milwaukee series. Maybe they're just good.
21
@dstellmm
In your World is good mutually exclusive from other factors ? How about they are a good team that injuries hampered their opponents . Glad you asked KD's injury was not a factor against Philly , but Embiid's injury was the biggest factor they escaped losing to them .
Fans can paint whatever pic they want to and choose to ignore whatever makes them feel better , but the truth and details are central to understanding and history .
1
@VB
There's no asterisk. Basketball isn't an individual sport, it's a team sport, and the Raptors wouldn't have been playing against Kevin Durant, they would still have been playing against the Warriors as a team. If the Warriors honestly felt they didn't have a fair shot at the title without KD, they presumably wouldn't have competed. All this talk of an asterisk is silly; two teams played for a championship, one team won, full stop.
8
I've sporadically watched Van Vleet play since he was a junior in high school. Coaches and scouts who focus on the "measurables" apparently never looked up to see what has always been as plain as the nose on your face: he is all heart, hustle, intensity and skill. Yes, don't forget that skill. Barely got a D-1 scholarship offer; not drafted. etc etc. Congratulations Freddie, nobody ever deserved it more.
97
There's really so many great story lines for the Raptors in the post season. Obviously Kawhi has cemented himself as one of the greatest in the league right now and showed how a team can be fully built around him. Lowry finally gets vindication after all the ups and downs in Toronto. And VanVleet, who went undrafted, hits some of the most clutch 3's down the stretch going for 22. Even as an American, it's hard not to love these Raptors and feel happy for all of Canada.
113
And the Milwaukee Bucks can take a lesson, having lost to the eventual NBA champions, about how to play with tenacity in a long series and win on the road. Congratulations, Toronto!
44
Thanks, you guys have a great future with Gannis. I'm excited to see what's in store for the East. Raptors had to suffer through a ton for heart breaking losses in playoffs to finally become CHAMPIONS. I think part of it was the easy route (rightfully so) the Bucks had leading up to ECF.
7
Underdog and non-dynasty wins are a great thing for the universe. Thank you Raptors.
146
Wow, that last game was quite a ride! Toronto is a great city. We deserve this!
77
And now the Raptors can rightly proclaim-“ Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee.”
Kudos to the Raptors, a talented and classy group. Very happy for Toronto and Canada. Success here grows the game and brings in even greater international participation. This series was very entertaining, and like all great dramas, one never knew how it would end until the final seconds. As great as Golden State is, it's net positive (no pun etc.) that a non-Warrior team came out on top.
45
Fantastic series.
Raptors are a fine team and Warriors never stopped competing even with injuries,
This is why the NBA is fantastic!
62
As a Warriors fan from way back in the “bad old days”, I can objectively say that I like this Raptors team and I admire Leonard—they probably would have prevailed in seven games. But sorry folks, losing Klay Thompson made the difference in game six and Oakland fans deserved that last win at home.
6
Injuries are part of the game. As I recall, didn’t the Warriors win a championship against the Cavs, sans an injured Kyrie Irving? No one made excuses then. Toronto deserved this win. The Warriors got out-hustled.
73
@JCJust to clarify: the Warriors had five major injuries, three at the same time. The raptors are a great team, but the Warriors showed what true heart and grit is, playing on through injury after injury. i have nothing but pride for Dub guys.
9
You should have pride in the team. That’s commendable. They Warriors are a great team. But I don’t think we should use the “injury” excuse in order to undermine the Raptors historic win. The Raptors played outstanding team basketball in each playoff series. Taking down the Bucks ( at the time, the best team in the NBA) was a laudable feat. To go up against the defending champions, winning three games at Oracle was incredible.
62
When the Toronto Blue Jays won their first World Series Sports Illustrated wrote that they won because they had the best players provided by the Dominican Republic. To all of you reading this: it is no great shame that a Canadian based team won an NBA championship. It is not an occasion for sack cloth and ashes. It is not the end of the basketball world. It is a tribute to the head coach the Raptors fired at the end of last season who put this team together, truly an unsung hero.
66
Leonard quietly has 2 rings and 2 finals MVPs. Really happy for him.
97