After years of hitting the same wall, the Toronto Raptors finally broke through behind the strength of their superstar and balanced collection of co-stars. It’s a novel idea that the Toronto Raptors could be NBA champions, but it shouldn’t be altogether surprising that they arrived here. The Raptors were among the league’s best teams all
Toronto Raptors
With the NBA Draft less than nine days away, things in the NBA are starting to heat up as NBA teams zero in on trade scenarios and the players they will ultimately have a real shot at drafting. There is a very important disclaimer/concept worth re-stating. Rumors, like the ones we’ll dig into in a
TORONTO, CANADA – JUNE 10: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors talks to Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors after sustaining an injury during Game Five of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors on June 10, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and
TORONTO, ON – JUNE 10: Rapper Drake shakes hands with Commentator Michael Wilbon before the game between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors in Game Five of the 2019 NBA Finals on June 10, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and
Kyle Lowry joined the Raptors in the summer of 2012 without many expectations. He had only started 139 games over his first six seasons with Memphis and Houston, and while perhaps there was some untapped potential there, few could have projected how quickly and how fully he flowered north of the border. Toronto only had
When the Raptors received the ball for the final possession in Game 5, with the opportunity to win the series and their first championship in franchise history, I fully expected them to pull it off. This playoff run and been full of serendipitous moments for Toronto, most notably Kawhi’s series-winning four-bounce shot against the 76ers,
The Warriors survived wave after wave of the Raptors offensive surges and extended the Finals one more game. Unfortunately, they lost Kevin Durant again. Toronto was all business after closing out their Game 4 win, hoping to raise the first title in franchise history in front of their home faithful. But it’s not Golden State’s first
The second round of the NBA Draft is always an exercise in annual insanity as players are stashed, traded and dumped, giving onlookers surprise selections around every corner. Understandably, the build-up to the draft tends to focus sharply on the lottery and those expected to make a major difference from their very first professional games.
TORONTO, ON – JUNE 1: Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors during practice and media availability as part of the 2019 NBA Finals on June 01, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to
The Warriors had Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney back in the lineup but the Raptors didn’t miss a beat. Toronto’s 13-point Game 4 win pushes Golden State to the brink of elimination. The Raptors won Game 3, the game they were supposed to win. They were on the road but the Warriors were without Kevon
We already know the Golden State Warriors will be the Western Conference representative in the NBA Finals. In the East, though, the right to advance is still up for grabs. With Milwaukee and Toronto having won two games apiece, turning this into a best-of-three set over the weekend, now is as good a time as
The Warriors were missing several key contributors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals and it showed, as the Raptors ran away with a double-digit win. Alfonzo McKinnie played 53 minutes during the 2017-18 NBA season. He played 19 in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals. With Klay Thompson, Kevon Looney and Kevin Durant
With the NBA Draft now only two weeks away — as is always the case — it is prime time for pundits, fans and even front offices to over-index the value of high draft picks. But one misnomer that’s subconsciously reiterated year-after-year is that the majority of value in the draft often comes in the
In Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals, a fan pushed Kyle Lowry after he chased a loose ball into the stands. What makes this a big deal is who that person is. The Toronto Raptors were polishing up a Game 3 win in the 2019 NBA Finals last night, and Kyle Lowry had a
Drake won the troll game after Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals, but Kevin Durant clapped back with some heat of his own after Game 2. The rapper named Drake got his troll on during Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals in many different moments. That worked out pretty well for him because
About two minutes into Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard took a handoff from Pascal Siakam, briefly lost control of his dribble after a Marc Gasol pick, then collected himself. Jordan Bell was right on him. Leonard pulled up from 3. Swish. A few minutes later, Golden State’s Steph Curry missed a
The 2019 NBA Draft is rapidly approaching. It is now a mere 19 days away and, as is often the case, a lot is left to be sorted out in the final three weeks. While all teams must make a final decision on each of their picks in the draft, there are a few decisions
The Warriors survived a new crop of injuries to beat the Raptors in Game 2 and even the NBA Finals at 1-1. The Warriors are a different, albeit equally dangerous, team without Kevin Durant in the lineup. In Game 2, they saw Stephen Curry head to the locker room early in the first half because
Ahead of a summer where many of the NBA’s top superstars are entering free agency, the 2019 NBA Finals will refreshingly feature the two best players in the NBA, both of whom have been more honest than any of their counterparts about what they want out of basketball. When Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, we
Drake is definitely taking his role as a team ambassador for the Toronto Raptors seriously. The NBA had a conversation with Drake before the NBA Finals began that he should not be rubbing the shoulders of Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse during any games, and so the rapper and team ambassador decided to up his
The Toronto Raptors came out and established that they can more than hang with the Golden State Warriors, picking up a Game 1 win. Here’s how Twitter reacted. Before Game 1 of the NBA Finals even tipped off, there were some who thought that the Toronto Raptors would be a mere speed bump to the
The ratings for Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals were notably low, but there’s a pretty big catch. The Toronto Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors 118-109 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night, which creates hope for an extended series and more games for ABC and ESPN to air and frame
In the first NBA Finals game in franchise history, the Raptors took a 1-0 lead over Golden State behind a career game from Pascal Siakam. The Raptors won both of their regular-season meetings with the Warriors — one in a thrilling overtime finish and one in a blowout — but the results proved no more
It’s funny how life works, isn’t it? For the first month of the playoffs, including two full series and half of the games played in the Eastern Conference Finals, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet was mired in one of the worst shooting slumps in his NBA career. Aside from the postseason opening loss to the
The NBA Finals start tomorrow. Let’s dig in on the major questions that will define the series and decide which of the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors will be crowned champions. Will Kevin Durant return during this series? If so, when? And in what condition will his game and body be? In some ways,
TORONTO, CANADA – MAY 21: Rapper, Drake, reacts during a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 21, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph,
By now, everyone knows of the Toronto Raptors, but a superfan dug into the archives of the Toronto Star and explained how the “Raptors” got their name. For the past 24 years, we’ve known Toronto’s NBA basketball team as the “Raptors.” Yes, it is a name that really doesn’t fit the area, but we’ve gotten
In the regular season, Pascal Siakam made himself a frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award due to his bursting speed, quick-twitch momentum, nimbleness, skinny-strength and sheer length. “Spicy P” was NBA Twitter’s favorite rising star because of the element of surprise. He was a tornado on drives; a curveball in the post; a shark-attack
The Toronto Raptors never stopped fighting, closing out the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 to head to the first finals in franchise history. Toronto never gave up. Even after falling behind 0-2 in the series and in a 15-point hole in Game 6. The Bucks came into Toronto on Saturday reeling off its first three-game
After the most convincing win and significant momentum shift of the Conference Finals, the Toronto Raptors look the part of an NBA Finalist. When the Raptors fell behind 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, all evidence from the regular season looked to have been confirmed. The Bucks were the best team in the NBA all
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