Toronto Raptors: Behind Kawhi Leonard, Raptors make history as they punch their ticket to the NBA Finals
Behind a strong performance from Kawhi Leonard, the Toronto Raptors make history and clinch their first trip to the NBA Finals
Kawhi Leonard will be a free agent in July and will have a number of teams vying for his services on the open market, but that’s something the Toronto Raptors can worry about later because they have bigger fish to fry.
Mainly, the Golden State Warriors, as the Raptors find themselves in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, behind a huge come-from-behind Game 6 victory on their home floor.
Toronto erased a 15-point deficit – and a 2-0 series hole – in the second half in order to punch their ticket to the Finals, clinching a date with the Warriors Thursday night, in Game 1.
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Led by Kawhi Leonard’s 27 points, and key defense on Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Raptors used a 26-3 run to fuel their comeback on their home floor in Game 6. Simply put, when key plays needed to be made, the Raptors came through. Milwaukee didn’t.
But the Bucks shouldn’t be all that disappointed with their performance in the playoffs. Milwaukee just appears to be a year away from breaking through. This wasn’t their year, and that’s OK. Generally, there are growing pains for contending teams in the NBA. This is exactly what Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are experiencing at the moment.
As for the Raptors, this was certainly their perfect storm. LeBron James, after owning the Eastern Conference for eight years, elected to move West. It opened the door – even if so slightly – for a team to emerge in the East. A Kawhi Leonard blockbuster trade during the summer was exactly the improvement that the Raptors needed – even if it did come at the expense of arguably the greatest franchise player in Raptors history (DeMar DeRozan).
Entering this postseason, Kawhi had the look of a player that was destined to prove to the masses that he was on the same level as your LeBrons and Durants. So far so good.
During this amazing run to the NBA Finals, Kawhi has averaged 31 points, nine rebounds and four assists on 51 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range. He’s been on a mission, and he’s come up big for the Raptors time and time again this postseason.
However, now that he has gotten through the Philadelphia 76ers and Bucks in the East, he’s set to face off against a different monster in the Warriors. While they may not be 100 percent healthy at the moment, the expectation is that Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins will both be back at some point in the NBA Finals.
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Kawhi Leonard has carried the Toronto Raptors all the way to the NBA Finals. Can they keep their magic going by upsetting arguably the greatest team of all-time?