By David Jordan Jr
The Toronto Raptors clinched the 2019 NBA World Championship by defeating the defending champion Golden State Warriors in Game six of the NBA Finals 114-110. The win brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Canada for the first time in the twenty-four year history of the franchise. The series win by the Raptors capped a memorable and remarkable playoff run that was led by first-year Raptor Kawhi Leonard. Leonard was traded to the Raptors from the San Antonio Spurs in the 2018 offseason and led the Raptors to a 58-24 record, finishing the regular season with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Leonard was named Finals MVP for the second time in his career as he finished the series with averages of 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals.
