Toronto Raptors: 5 keys to beating Warriors in 2019 NBA Finals
By Ananth Para
5. Defend home-court
To the surprise of many, the Toronto Raptors indeed have home-court throughout the NBA Finals. With that being said, they cannot lose under any circumstances on their home soil.
Make no mistake about it, the Warriors know that.
Game 1s have been historically Toronto’s weak spot, whether it be on their home floor or their opponent’s, but with Golden State coming off of a nine-day layoff and the Raptors riding high off of two double-digit comeback victories, adrenaline may very well lead the way to a Game 1 victory.
In order for Toronto to make it a competitive series, let alone a long one, it has to start the series off with a punch straight into the mouths of the defending champs, sending them packing to the Bay area down 0-2 when all is said and done.
Luckily, the Raptors have been the second-best home team in the playoffs, having gone 8-2 at Scotiabank Arena. Unluckily, the Golden State Warriors have been the best road team in the playoffs, going 6-2 on the road on their path towards their fifth consecutive Finals berth.
With Jurassic Park slowly turning into Jurassic World, the Raptors will have no lack of fan support to help fuel them to victory every time the series shifts north of the border.