Twenty-four years, 228 players, nine head coaches, 947 wins and a national love affair later, the Toronto Raptors are finally 2019 NBA champions. The Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors 114-110 in Game 6 to capture the country's first NBA crown. Now the Raptors and their fans can forget the franchise's futile history. After another pitiful post-season Masai Ujiri, president of basketball operations had seen enough. He was quick to make some sweeping changes as he declared CHAMPIONSHIP OR BUST.
LOOK FOR THE LETTER F
The signature shot of the playoffs. A gruelling series against the Philadelphia 76ers boiled down to one possession with the shot clock turned off at the end of Game 7. With the teams tied at 90, the Raptors put the ball in Leonard's hand with the fate of the game, season and series at stake. Leonard received the inbounds and dribbled toward the corner closest to the Raptors bench. The seven-foot Embiid followed him, while six-foot-10 guard Ben Simmons trailed. Leonard reached the corner, turned, faded and released a high-arcing shot just over the extended arm of Embiid. The shot hung in the air, bounced off the front rim, bounced off the front rim again and rattled off the other side of the iron twice more before falling through the hoop. The Raptors were on to the conference final. Kawhi even smiled.