NBA: 2018-2019 Season

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Antares26
They need it more than ever if they're going into the finals without KD and Cousins. They'll probably do the whole thing without them either way.
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Oh yes, I forgot they're actually sidelined right now. But they're still winning even without them in the lineup.
 
If Toronto wins tonight's Game 6, then our NBA Finals will be set- Golden State vs. Toronto. Milwaukee must win tonight in Toronto to force Game 7 this Monday in Milwaukee.
 
"We the North." And... "we going to the NBA Finals!" The Milwaukee Bucks are DONE. This is the NBA Championship, though we do have two teams from two different countries ready to play for a championship. I've said several times that I could see Toronto representing the East in the NBA Playoffs. Now, I'm [finally] right. Question is- now that the Raptors have arrived in the NBA Finals, can they be the ones to shut down (and up) the Golden State Warriors?

The NBA Finals are this coming Thursday (May 30, 2019). We'll see whether our champs for this season will be from the United States (Golden State) or Canada (Toronto).
 
As mentioned previously, the Toronto Raptors are in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Their maiden season was in 1995-1996; this was the year my Houston Rockets were the two-time defending NBA champions in our Clutch City seasons (1993-1994 and 1994-1995). Usually when I think of the Raptors, I usually think of bad boy Vince Carter and his vicious dunks. I knew that Toronto could still be the Eastern representative in the NBA Finals. Now, I'm right. So I'm proud for the Toronto Raptors and how far they've come over the years, and I am not just saying that because of former Rockets who played or still play for Toronto.

Toronto is the only remaining Canadian NBA team even as the Vancouver Grizzlies eventually became the Memphis Grizzlies. Basketball was invented by James Naismith- a Canadian. Every NBA champion since the first NBA Finals back in 1947 have all been from the United States. If Toronto somehow defeats the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game NBA Finals series, they will become the first non-American team to win the NBA Championship. They (of course) won't be "World Champions" even though we do have two teams of a domestic American league representing two different countries. It would be just the same as if we had (for example) the St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs playing for the Stanley Cup. Some people just want Toronto to win it all just to end the monotony of Golden State winning it all yet again.


Now that we've had time to soak in the NBA Finals series to come between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors, it's that time again. Tell it time! Who will win the NBA Championship between Golden State and Toronto, and (optional) in how many games? The NBA Finals begin this Thursday in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

By the way... I think I read the 2018-2019 Milwaukee Bucks are the 3rd-ever 60+ win team to be defeated in a playoff series by losing four straight games.


[UPDATE] Game 1 is Golden State AT Toronto, not Toronto at Golden State. Changes made.
 
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And since Toronto has won their first ever Conference Finals yesterday, a lot of people have been attributing this happening because of LBJ leaving the East for the Lakers. Prior to that, however, he and the Cavaliers have been beating the Raptors in the playoffs each time they had met. If I'm not mistaken, they have done it previously three straight times. Now, it seems the nightmare for Toronto is finally over, as they really have succeeded in the Finals for the very first time. Also thanks to Kawhi Leonard for making that happen, too.
 
A sweep would be the best scenario for the Warriors as they series ends at Oracle if that happens, but if I had to guess, I'd say the Warriors take this in a gentleman's sweep with Toronto winning game 2 and the series ending in 5 at Toronto.
 
I think it's still early to assume yet. Let's see how Kawhi will fare in the court this time with his new squad that also entered in the Finals for the first time.
 
Tonight begins the NBA Finals. All 30 NBA teams wished they could be at the level two teams are at present- playing for the championship. The sixteen Playoff teams are all whittled down to just two. The O'Brien Trophy is on the line as two teams are only four wins away from becoming champions of the 2018-2019 NBA season. Who are those teams? Get to know them:

Golden State Warriors vs. Toronto Raptors

Where everyone else failed, these two teams didn't fail to have a chance at becoming champions. Tonight in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; the Warriors and Raptors will play to determine champions of this season. The format is 2-2-1-1-1, so it's two games in Toronto followed by two games in Oakland, CA, USA. And if needed... one game in Toronto, one game in Oakland, and the finale in Toronto all based on if extra games are needed to complete the NBA Finals series. This should be an interesting series for any number of reasons. Some even look at it like an international incident- America's Golden State Warriors against Canada's Toronto Raptors. I think I seen one Twitch chatter say something like "all of America want to see Toronto win." No matter how you look at this series, it's going to be an interesting series on a number of fronts. The fun all begins tonight.


Congratulations to the two remaining teams, and good luck to both tonight and throughout this entire NBA Finals.
 
Warriors are still going to probably to win but at least it looks like it's going to be a competitive series. I was expecting a sweep. :lol:
 
Looks like we got ourselves a Finals to watch!
My Warriors in 5 prediction is looking shaky but I'm still leaning on them getting the job done.
 
Toronto is the site as Game 2 of the 2018-2019 NBA Finals is tonight. Before the series shifts back to the United States and in Oakland, the Toronto Raptors will try to down the Warriors again. Toronto won Game 1 118-109 back in May and back on Thursday.

As some off-topic notes...

* Someone posted a YouTube video showing off the Toronto Raptors' first ever game back on November 5, 1995; when they took on the (then) New Jersey Nets at the Skydome. Whoever would have thought 24 years later that the Raptors would play in their first-ever NBA Finals? Among some of the first Raps was a young Damon Stoudamire.


Well, enjoy Game 2 of the NBA Finals between Golden State and Toronto!
 
Livingston to Iguodala for the dagger.
The veterans come in clutch when the team needed them the most.

Still, injuries hitting the Warriors in the finals might just open the door for Toronto to take a game in Oakland.
 
The decision to not foul Green which eventually led to the Iggy 3 was bad, but Toronto has to have some hope and make the needed adjustments. Remember, these guys only lost by 5, and that was with them going nearly half a quarter of not scoring at all. They can overcome this.
 
The problem is, KD will already be playing in Game 3 Wednesday night and that will be also their first home game in this series, which means that they might be unbeatable in their court, something which cannot be denied after all. So of course, an obvious blowout win for them could happen in Game 3.

What sparked them to win the game earlier was a 14-0 run that they made during the beginning of 3rd quarter to chop off the deficit and allowed them to be ahead of Toronto. Before that, I was already seeing that happen and sure enough, they did a run like that.

Btw, it was also said that Game 1 of this year's Finals gathered a lowest rating for a Finals game in 10 years. Maybe no LBJ this time + one-man show again by GS = Boring NBA Finals.
 
GTV0819
The problem is, KD will already be playing in Game 3 Wednesday night and that will be also their first home game in this series, which means that they might be unbeatable in their court, something which cannot be denied after all. So of course, an obvious blowout win for them could happen in Game 3.
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That's not confirmed at all, and based on the reports of KD not even being in practice yet, seems unlikely....

And the home court doesn't mean much when Toronto has a 2-0 series this season. I think a couple teams have beaten GS at home, even with KD. Dallas blew them out by 35 points in the regular season. Clippers took Games 2 & 5 in Oakland in Playoffs.
What sparked them to win the game earlier was a 14-0 run that they made during the beginning of 3rd quarter to chop off the deficit and allowed them to be ahead of Toronto. Before that, I was already seeing that happen and sure enough, they did a run like that.
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Again, nearly scoreless for 6 minutes and they still lost by 5 bodes better for Toronto than it does for Golden State.
Btw, it was also said that Game 1 of this year's Finals gathered a lowest rating for a Finals game in 10 years. Maybe no LBJ this time + one-man show again by GS = Boring NBA Finals.
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Because it doesn't account for Canada, in which nearly 20% of the nation watched; 7.4 million, the most watched NBA game for Canada.
 
McLaren
That's not confirmed at all, and based on the reports of KD not even being in practice yet, seems unlikely....
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Really? I hope that's true. Still, we all know how this team plays in their own court, which is what I'm fearing that they would win the next two games consecutively. I just hope that I'm wrong though.

Again, nearly scoreless for 6 minutes and they still lost by 5 bodes better for Toronto than it does for Golden State.
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Which quarter? In 4th quarter? I haven't watched the game at all. I was just looking at the score box in my browser and stopped when I learned that GS started leading already during the 3rd quarter.

Because it doesn't account for Canada, in which nearly 20% of the nation watched; 7.4 million, the most watched NBA game for Canada.
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Oh yes, I forgot to put in that one. That's the first NBA Finals game in Canada, I suppose.
 
GTV0819
Which quarter? In 4th quarter? I haven't watched the game at all. I was just looking at the score box in my browser and stopped when I learned that GS started leading already during the 3rd quarter.
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That and with under 2 minutes to go they had an 8pt lead that got cut down to 2 before Iggy's dagger 3 in the final 10 seconds.
 
Antares26
That and with under 2 minutes to go they had an 8pt lead that got cut down to 2 before Iggy's dagger 3 in the final 10 seconds.
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Thought that could've been a major blow to GS' if Toronto had pulled off that comeback.

OG is expected back though, and that's another long defender GS will have to deal with. Waiting on Leonard to have a completely nuts, full break-out game, too.
 
In games like these, it is really nice to have some tough defense. I remember the '04 Pistons with nobodies that defeated the heavily favored Lakers, which at that time, had four All-Star players in the league. It really surprised everyone. They really did a good job in employing a serious defense there.

The thing with this league today though, is that almost everyone shoots 3-pointers like hell, including many big fellas. In the next games, I do hope that Marc Gasol will be able to perform well under crucial moments, mainly in defense and rebounds, so that the Raptors can hold on and maintain their momentum in this championship series.
 
I say it's time for the king of adjustments to work his magic. If Steve Kerr had a bag of tricks he's built up the entire regular season, I think we're about to see it for ourselves.
 
Warriors in Game 2:

No KD.
No Klay in the 4th.
No Looney.
A Boogie who has played 8 minutes in about 2 months and clearly can't jump.
A hobbled Iggy.
A sick Steph (not buying the dehydration story).
Did not score for 5 mins in the 4th.

…..and the Raptors still could not win.

Their only hope is that Klay misses the next two games.

Sorry to read that Looney is done for the season with a fractured cartilage - he had really stepped up his game in this post-season and deserved every bit of the praise he was getting.
 
I know you probably don't want to read this about my Houston Rockets, but we had the same deal- Warriors a bit banged up, other team couldn't capitalize. It's like the Warriors still find ways to win even when not at full strength. Nothing frustrates others quite like not being able to take advantage of teams that have some missing pieces or not at full strength. Maybe Golden State is THAT good.

For the first time in the 2018-2019 NBA Finals, tomorrow will be the first NBA Finals game in the United States! Game 3 happens tomorrow night in Oakland, CA, USA to start the Oakland swing of the NBA Finals. This series is going back to Toronto regardless considering this series is tied 1-1. If both teams split Games 3 and 4, we're assured the series coming back to Oakland for Game 6.


The action continues tomorrow night. So get psyched!
 
Daz555
Warriors in Game 2:

No KD.
No Klay in the 4th.
No Looney.
A Boogie who has played 8 minutes in about 2 months and clearly can't jump.
A hobbled Iggy.
A sick Steph (not buying the dehydration story).
Did not score for 5 mins in the 4th.

…..and the Raptors still could not win.

Their only hope is that Klay misses the next two games.

Sorry to read that Looney is done for the season with a fractured cartilage - he had really stepped up his game in this post-season and deserved every bit of the praise he was getting.
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Those last minutes of the 4th were horrible to watch. They lost several chances to score to keep the game close up to the last minute, but they blew them all. If they don't win tonight, I can see this series ending in 5 games.
 
Raptors take Game 3 with a 14-point lead! Warriors in 5 no more! :lol::lol::lol:

They are now only two wins away from winning their first ever championship. However, will they still be able to make it? I'm surprised how they're able to pull off that win in GS but then again, the Dubs are playing in a hampered lineup. Now, what I worry the most is their big tendency to make a comeback in the next remaining games and then taking the crown again for the third consecutive time.

Still biting my nails as it's not done yet but should the Raps lose this championship series, at least they didn't lose by getting swept. Right? :)
 

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