Toronto Raptors: 3 takeaways from Game 6 win in 2019 NBA Finals

The Toronto Raptors were crowned as the 2019 NBA champions after their win on the road against the Golden State Warriors in Game 6.

The Toronto Raptors fought through adversity throughout the year and during their postseason run in the hopes of achieving the ultimate goal: the Larry O’Brien Trophy. On Thursday night in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, the Raptors did exactly that, sweeping the Golden State Warriors in their home arena for the franchise’s first ever title win.

Kyle Lowry started the game with determination for the win on the road. He finished the game with a near triple-double of 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds while shooting 9-for-16 from the field and posting a team-high +16. The longest-tenured player on the roster played one of his best all-around performances in the postseason. Team superstar and eventual Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard was great on both ends of the floor, contributing 26 points, six rebounds and two steals on 7-for-16 shooting.

For the Warriors, Klay Thompson left the game in the third quarter after an awkward landing on his left leg, which latter got diagnosed as an ACL tear. He was sensational Thursday night, leading his team with 30 points and five rebounds on a super efficient 8-of-12 shooting, including 4-for-6 from deep. His fellow Splash Brother, Stephen Curry, had 21 points and seven assists on 6-of-17 shooting and missed the contested, late 3-pointer to give his team the lead.

It was a battle from the beginning to the last two free throws Leonard made to put the game out of reach with 0.9 seconds left on the clock. There were 17 total lead changes in Game 6. Going into the fourth quarter, the Raptors were down by two. Fred VanVleet‘s clutch playing ability, with 12 of his 22 points coming in the final frame, helped Toronto come out on top.

The Warriors battled hard, especially in the third quarter when they took the lead after an 8-0 run midway through, but the resiliency of the Raptors would not waver. They battled back, and executed one of the team’s best collective all-around efforts from every player who stepped onto the court.

For the first time in NBA history, the championship trophy will be north of the American border. This was the first major championship win for the city of Toronto since the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993. The championship parade will be held on Monday, June 17, in the downtown core of the city. Here are three takeaways from the championship win Thursday night.