Tonight begins the NBA Finals on ABC at 8 p.m. CST live from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto Canada. I don’t think I’ve been so excited for an NBA Finals in years just because the pressure will be on every single star in these Finals. Whoever wins the headlines will be explosive and whoever loses the headlines could get nuclear.
This will be the “final” hosted NBA Finals at Oracle Arena as they look to move to a new home next year, with that said Jurrasic Park is ready to display what ‘Jurrasic World’ really looks like.
There are major questions coming in this game/series regarding the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors.
Golden State Warriors
- Will Kevin Durant Play?
- If Kevin Durant rejoins how will it affect the team flow in playing aggressive basketball?
- Should he even join the team?
- Will the world finally realize the Warriors never needed Kevin Durant?
- If the Warriors win will Steph Curry finally get his MVP?
- Will Steph finally show up in all the games and play consistently?
- Is this the end for the Warriors and Durant relationship?
- Who guards Kawhi?
- Will Durant leave Golden State? Where will he go?
- Will Klay Thompson stay with the Warriors?
The Golden State Warriors make their fifth consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals making them the first team since the Boston Celtics to do so and the first team in the west to win the Western Conference Championship five consecutive times. The Golden State Warriors have won 4 NBA championships out of 5 attempts.
The Warrior demolished Portland in a sweep for the ages being down double digits multiple times in at least 3 of the 4 games and coming back and winning. This team won’t stop and they have tons to prove to the NBA, the fans and themselves.
Probable Starters: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Alfonzo McKinnie, Draymond Green, and Jordan Bell
Toronto Raptors
- Will Kawhi’s health be 100% this series?
- How much time should Kawhi play per game?
- How will they defend Steph Curry?
- What happens if he doesn’t last the entire Finals?
- Will VanVleet show up on a consistent basis making three’s?
- Has Siakams free throw game been worked on since the last series?
- Will the game outcome for the Raptors come down to Siakams free throws in this series?
- If Kawhi loses will he leave Toronto? Then where?
The best two way player in the NBA makes his first appearance in the NBA Finals for the first time since the actual inaugural Championship began this dynasty for the Warriors. Last time Kawhi was in an NBA Finals he was with the San Antonio Spurs and he beat Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh.
Kawhi Leonard carried his team back being down 2-0 to the Milwaukee Bucks and the more than likely NBA MVP in the Giannis Antetokounmpo. Kawhi and the Raptors come back and won 4 straight games to close the series to advance to these Finals.
Probable Starters: Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol
Final Outcome
I’m not sure who will win but I know I would t mind seeing the warriors prove to the world they were champions before Durant and arrived and can still do it or that the best NBA player in the world beat potentially 5 Hall of Famers and takes his place as ‘THE Man’.
The Nature Boy Ric Flair was dubbed the “The Man’ meaning he was the best, he once said, “ to be the man you gotta beat the man” and that’s certainly true for Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors if they want to take the reigns from Golden State. But the 16-time heavyweight champion also said, “it’s not just about being the man it’s staying The Man” this is without a doubt the truest thing for the Warriors about maintaining their place in this game and staying relevant.