For the first time since 2010, there is a new king of the East. In LeBron James' place stands Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors, who are enthusiastically enjoying their first Finals appearance in franchise history.
If anyone knows how to overthrow defending champs, it's Leonard. The star forward won Finals MVP when the San Antonio Spurs beat the James-led Heat in The Finals in 2014. Leonard and the Spurs led the Warriors by 25 points in Game 1 of the 2017 Western Conference finals — before he went down with an ankle injury that limited him to just nine games in 2017-18.
Now Leonard is in Toronto, the same city where the NBA debuted more than 70 years ago. On Thursday, the spotlight shifted back to Canada for the ultimate showdown between The North and The Bay.
On the other side of The Finals are a familiar set of faces. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the Warriors ride into their fifth straight Finals appearance — the longest streak since Bill Russell's dynastic Celtics of the 1960s.
Yet as hot as the Warriors (winners of seven straight) have been, questions remain. Kevin Durant would not play in Game 1 due to a strained left calf. DeMarcus Cousins is back, but how he would be reintegrated was unclear.
Amid that uncertainty stands the original core of Golden State's dynasty. Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green entered The Finals playing with the same energy and passion that punctuated their pre-Durant days. Would that be enough to steal Game 1 in Toronto?
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=90213.0