The Golden State Warriors will be the second team in NBA history to play five consecutive finals as of Thursday. Up front, the Toronto Raptors will play the first in their 24 years of life. The former seek the dynasty with an uncertain future. The latter, also with questions, extend a dream that they hope to make come true.
Only the Boston Celtics, with 10 in a row between 1957 and 1966, share a milestone with the reigning champions, who have lifted the title in three of the last four seasons.
In 2017 and 2018, star forward Kevin Durant was named MVP of both finals by crushing LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in both cases.
And, although the Warriors return to the last instance with the vitola of favorites, they will have to fight during the first two games in Toronto to try to solve the more than possible absence of Durant and center DeMarcus Cousins, both injured and that will be doubtful until the final.
With the two healthy, Golden State has left doubts throughout the season due to their irregular defensive effort and some chemistry problems, which led them to finish the regular season with the third best record (57-25), behind. the Milwaukee Bucks (60-22) and the Raptors themselves (58-24).
Now, without Durant and with his natural replacement, Andre Iguodala, also among cottons, those of the Oakland Bay will have to resort again to their Splash Brothers, with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in their best version after the injury of the forward, and power forward Draymond Green, who is remembering that unique player who revolutionized the league.
Without Durant, the Warriors have recovered the dynamic that led them to win the title in 2015 and achieve the best record in history in 2016 (73-19) despite falling in the Final against the Cavaliers (4-3).
But their differential in the playoffs is the lowest since 2015: in the first three rounds they have “only” beaten their rivals by an average of 6.2 points, leaving two games against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round (4-2 ) and two others against the Houston Rockets in the second (4-2), before sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers (4-0) in the past.
– Unstoppable –
Up front, the Raptors have already signed the best result in their history in their 24 years of life. But they are not satisfied.
“We are going to savor this moment but this is not over,” warned Canadian star Kawhi Leonard.
The former Spurs striker, in a memorable display, found the strength to stop Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo and crush the Bucks in the Eastern final, completely changing the series when he started directly defending the European.
The 2014 Finals MVP, one of the best outside defenders ever, has honed his offensive style into an efficient machine that wastes no time on unnecessary technical gestures.
“Kawhi is the best player in the world and we are happy that he is in Toronto,” said Nigerian Canadian President Masai Ujiri after winning the East.
«I don’t mind being the best player. I want to be the best team, “answered Leonard after having become the third highest scorer in the history of the franchise in the Playoffs in his first season in Toronto, only behind his teammate Kyle Lowry and guard DeMar DeRozan, for which it was traded last summer.
– Marc in search of Pau –
In order to have a chance of winning his second champion ring, Kawhi must continue with his stratospheric level, whether or not he faces Durant in the first few encounters.
Meanwhile, the supporting actors from Toronto will have to support him: the point guard Lowry, the Cameroonian power forward Pascal Siakam, the bench and the Spanish center Marc Gasol who, if he were to win the title, would join Pau as the first brothers in the league’s history in winning the championship.
Pau was already crowned with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010 and, this year, although he could not play in the Playoffs due to a foot injury, he was at the gates of the Final with the Bucks.
Now he will carefully follow what Marc does, coming from Memphis to the close of the transfer market and who gave a new dimension to the Canadians’ inner game, one of his strengths together with the Spanish-Congolese Serge Ibaka.
Having reinvented the game, winning four rings in five years would elevate these Warriors to be part of the discussion for the greatest team of all time before a summer full of uncertainties that could see Durant, Thompson or Cousins pack their bags. as free agents.
The Raptors, for their part, could also lose Leonard as of June 30 but they have the home court factor in their favor, the illusion through the clouds and the peace of mind of knowing that, whatever happens, they are already the best team in the country. franchise history. AFP