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Wiedmer: Golden State’s NBA title run should end against Toronto

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard led his team past the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals and into an NBA Finals showdown with the Golden State Warriors, who have won the past two titles.
Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard led his team past the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals and into an NBA Finals showdown with the Golden State Warriors, who have won the past two titles. Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard led his team past the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals and into an NBA Finals showdown with the Golden State Warriors, who have won the past two titles.

By Mark Wiedmer 4 min read

It’s not that the Golden State Warriors can’t three-peat as champs when they travel to Toronto on Thursday night to begin the best-of-seven NBA Finals against the upstart Raptors.

It’s just that the semi-dynastic Dubs won’t.

And we have very recent history to show us why. As in, Raptors 131, Warriors 128 in overtime in Toronto on Nov. 29. Even more telling, try Toronto 113, Golden State 93, in Oakland on Dec. 12, which also meant a Raptors regular-season sweep.

Normally, such results may not mean much come the NBA playoffs – injuries and the too-long, 82-game regular-season schedule must be factored when assessing wins and losses. In the case of the Warriors – who have come to focus on the playoffs far more than the regular season the past year or two – one must consider motivation.

photo Mark Wiedmer

And a lot of those variables may have been in play in these teams’ first meeting of the season in Toronto, given that both Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sat that one out for the Dubs, though Kevin Durant did score 51 points.