12/21/2023 0 Comments Toronto raptors lineup![]() They were the second team in NBA history to achieve this feat, joining the Boston Celtics, who played in ten straight Finals (1957–1966). ![]() After losing the Finals to the Raptors, they became the second team to not earn a 3-peat, joining the Miami Heat who lost their quest in 2014 to the San Antonio Spurs who ended their seven-year title drought. This was Golden State's fifth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, and they were aiming to be the first since the Shaq and Kobe-led Los Angeles Lakers to win 3-peat titles. Curry averaged a series career-high 36.5 points, the highest average by a player in a four-game sweep in NBA history. After starting nine consecutive games, Iguodala missed the deciding Game 4 with a sore left calf injury from Game 3. In the Western Conference Finals, Golden State swept the Portland Trail Blazers 4–0, with three of the wins including comebacks of 15 points or more. Led by Curry and Thompson, Golden State pulled out Game 5 without Durant, and won the series in six games thanks to Stephen Curry's 33-point second half. However, Durant left the game late in the third quarter after suffering a strained right calf he was later ruled out indefinitely. With the Splash Brothers-Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson-struggling with their shooting, Durant had been the team's best player in the playoffs, averaging a team-leading 35.4 points entering Game 5. With an increased urgency and in a sign of respect towards their opponent, Kerr opened the following round against the Houston Rockets by moving Andre Iguodala from the bench and starting the Hamptons Five for the first time in the season. Cousins tore his left quadriceps in Game 2, and was initially thought to be out for the remainder of the postseason. In the playoffs, Golden State defeated the Clippers in six games in the first round, despite blowing leads at home in Games 2 and 5. The team finished the regular season with a 57–25 record, winning the Pacific Division and securing the 1st seed in the Western Conference. In January 2019, Cousins returned, and the Warriors became the first team in 42 years with a starting lineup of five NBA All-Stars from the previous season. During an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in November 2018, Draymond Green cursed out teammate Kevin Durant over his upcoming free agency status after the season, and he was suspended for the much-publicized blowup. He gave the Warriors a true, top-flight center for the first time under head coach Steve Kerr. Main article: 2018–19 Golden State Warriors seasonĭuring the off-season, Golden State acquired DeMarcus Cousins, who was recovering from a ruptured left Achilles. ![]() For the first time in NBA History, two national anthems were performed before the game started, " The Star-Spangled Banner" for the country of the United States and " O Canada" for the country of Canada.īackground Golden State Warriors This also was the last finals until 2023 NBA Finals in which a team made its first trip to the NBA Finals in its franchise history. ĭue to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the last NBA Finals until 2022 to be played in its traditional June schedule. This was the first Finals since 2010 not to feature LeBron James, who played in the past eight Finals with the Cavaliers and the Miami Heat. Also for the first time after the past four postseasons, the Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers did not meet in the championship round. Had it been necessary, Game 7 would have been held in Toronto. This meant that Games 3, 4, and 6 were held in Golden State (the last postseason home games for the Warriors in Oracle Arena) and Games 1, 2, and 5 were in Toronto. This was the first time in five consecutive NBA Finals appearances that the then-two-time defending NBA-champion Warriors did not have home-court advantage. ![]() Home-court advantage was awarded to Toronto, who finished the regular season with one more win (58–24) than Golden State (57–25). This was the first NBA Finals appearance for the Raptors, and the league's first finals with games played outside of the United States. Acquired by the Raptors via a trade during the off-season, Kawhi Leonard was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second time in his career. In the best-of-seven playoff series held from May 30 through June 13, 2019, the Eastern Conference champion Toronto Raptors defeated the two-time defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 4–2, earning the franchise its first NBA championship as well as the first win by an NBA team based outside the United States. The 2019 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2018–19 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. ![]() 2019 edition of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors ![]()
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