The NBA Championship goes north of the border for the very first time. The Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors 114-110 in Game 6 of the NBA Final. Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard earned the NBA Finals MVP. It's the second he won that honor having earned it with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Leonard was acquired from the Spurs last off-season.
It marks the first time a Canadian team has won a championship in the four major sports since the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993. Earlier that year, the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup and no Canadian team has won since. Needless to say, I am excluding the CFL from this equation.
The Raptors joined the NBA in 1995 along with the Vancouver Grizzlies (who moved to Memphis in 2000). The team has reached the post-season for six straight years and prior to this year were unable to get past LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for three straight seasons. This would cost head coach Dwane Casey his job and was succeeded by assistant coach Nick Nurse. But this year LeBron went to the Lakers and he couldn't make them float. Meanwhile, Nurse helped the Raptors overcome adversity coming from behind in playoff series with the Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks and then had the daunting task of facing the Warriors, winner of three of the last four NBA Finals. Injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson hobbled the Warriors, but they never gave an inch until the final second.
The Raptors' triumph will be celebrated not only in Toronto, but all over Canada. As NBA Commissioner Adam Silver noted basketball was invented by a Canadian (Dr. James Naismith) and the very first NBA game took place in Canada. It has now come full circle. Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol will be as beloved in Thunder Bay, Truro and Trail, B.C. as they are in Toronto. The eyes of the NBA and all of basketball are now on Canada.
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