The Toronto Raptors made history twice on Thursday when they defeated the Golden State Warriors in game 6 of the 2019 NBA finals to claim their — and Canada’s — first-ever NBA championship.
In addition to being the Raptors’ first NBA championship, it’s also the first time the team has even made it to the finals in its 24-year history. In fact, Toronto is only the second team in history to defeat a defending champion in their first appearance in the finals.
“Canada, we brought it home,” Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry said after the game.
The Raptors beat the Warriors by a nailbiting 114-110 at Oakland’s Oracle Arena in a defeat that came with a bittersweet twist– it’s the last time the Warriors will ever play Oracle, as the team is relocating across the bay to San Francisco and the newly-built Chase Center for the 2019-20 season.
Raptors small forward Kawhi Leonard was named finals MVP for the second time; the last time was in 2014, when he helped lead the San Antonio Spurs to their fifth NBA championship for a win that denied the Miami Heat a threepeat just like tonight’s win denied the Warriors theirs. Leonard was traded to the Raptors in 2018.
Watch the moment Toronto made history here:
? The closing call to Game 6 as the @Raptors win their first championship in franchise history! #WeTheNorth #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/ISWARyxYvI
— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2019
And for those who want to celebrate with them:
POP THEM BOTTLES ? pic.twitter.com/Y8WMFskj2H
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 14, 2019