5 things we learned from the NBA Finals

Agence France-Presse

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

5 things we learned from the NBA Finals

AFP

The Raptors become the first team outside the US to win the NBA Finals, and they did it with a roster of stars from around the world

 

OAKLAND, USA – It was a title series replete of drama. In the end, though, the Toronto Raptors spoiled the injury-hit Golden State Warriors‘ bid for a third straight NBA championship. Here are the 5 things we learned from Toronto’s win over Golden State in the Finals:

Always the quiet ones  

Victory and defeat looked the same most nights for the Toronto Raptors. Keeping a not too up or down manner, they kept a firm focus on their ultimate goal of a championship trophy, taking after star Kawhi Leonard, who was named Finals Most Valuable Player. 

No trash talk. No joyful high fives or celebrations after each win. The Raptors went about their business quietly and methodically, Leonard stressing the fun of playing over big talk.

Finally, the Raptors got to enjoy one big celebration when it mattered most.

A team for the world  

The Raptors became the first team from outside the United States to win the NBA Finals, and they did it with a roster of stars from around the world. 

Cameroonian forward Pascal Siakam scored 32 points in an opening win and 26 in the clincher.

Spanish center Marc Gasol was a force in rebounding and defensive work. 

Serge Ibaka, born in Republic of Congo but an international player for Spain, blocked 6 shots in Game 3 and scored 20 points in Game 4. 

Britain’s OG Anunoby was out after an emergency appendectomy and Canada’s Chris Boucher with back spasms for most of the playoffs while Jeremy Lin, the NBA’s first US player of Chinese or Taiwanese heritage, spent most of the finals on the bench. 

Even coach Nick Nurse had a background in Europe, most of it coaching in England, and he had assistants from Italy and Africa. 

Credit Raptors president Masai Ujiri, who is Nigerian, for blending talent from across the globe into a championship organization.

Kawhi’s game talks big  

Forget his monotone remarks and focus on staying in the moment. Kawhi Leonard lets his game do the talking and it screamed “Champion” throughout the NBA Finals. 

The Warriors dynasty could do nothing to stop him. After a solid 23 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in support of Siakam’s breakout night when Golden State tried to clamp him down, Leonard unleashed 34 points in Game 2, hitting all 16 of his free throws in an NBA Finals record for perfection at the line. 

He then followed on the road with 30 and 36 points to power lopsided wins. 

If he’s not the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, he’s in a very short conversation about who’s best as a possible NBA free agent.

Injury-hit free agency  

Golden State’s Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, at one point two of the top free agents on the market to switch teams next season, are instead headed for long rehabilitations in the 2019-2020 campaign. 

Durant went down with a right Achilles tendon injury in Game 5 of the NBA Finals during his first game after a month out with a right calf injury. 

That was bad enough. Some teams had worked years saving money to offer Durant a maximum deal. 

He will spend next season working to recover and likely the next campaign tyring to regain peak form. 

Thompson, who fought off a hamstring strain to return, suffered a torn left knee ligament in Game 6 and departed on crutches. 

Now clubs like the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers must consider other options or accept what appeared to be sure success with both players could now turn into a gamble on either. 

But Toronto took such a gamble on Kawhi Leonard after he missed most of last season and the result was an NBA title.

All good times must end  

For the Golden State Warriors, there was a sense that time and injury had finally caught up to a team that had defied the odds for years.

They hoped for a third consecutive title and fourth in 5 seasons, the latter feat having not been done in half a century. 

Instead, back-to-back MVP Durant was out with a right calf injury before playing 12 minutes and injuring his right Achilles tendon, a choice in hindsight that looks awful for the Warriors. 

Klay Thompson tore a left knee ligament in Game 6, while Andre Iguodala, Kevon Looney and DeMarcus Cousins battled through pain. 

Golden State’s dynasty has made 5 consecutive runs to the finals but as they prepare to leave Oakland for a new $1 billion arena in San Francisco, they might have seen the end of their golden run. – Rappler.com 

 

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!