The air was that of ecstatic glee as the Toronto Raptors finally made it to the NBA Finals, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 100-94 in Game 6 to face off with the Golden State Warriors in what has been described as “the biggest stage of the NBA calendar.”
As reported by The Globe and Mail, Kyle Lowry “blissfully thrust his arms in the air at long last,” when the victory was at hand. “He hugged his teammates, slipped on an Eastern Conference Champions hat, and joyously scooped his two sons into his arms.”
In their 24th season, the Toronto Raptors are making their first trip to the NBA Finals, the Canadian newspaper said.
By its account, Kawhi Leonard had 27 points, 17 rebounds, and seven assists in the new biggest victory in franchise history, bringing the Raptors in a 15-point come-from-behind deficit for that decisive victory.
Pascal Siakam gave Toronto 18 points, while Lowry had 17 with eight assists, and Fred Van Vleet added 14 points – including four three-pointers. Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo had 21 points for the top-seeded Bucks, said The Globe and Mail.
“It was a day to remember for sports fans across Canada. Tens of thousands of fans lined up on Toronto’s streets hoping to get into Jurassic Park, despite a thunderstorm rolling through the city.
“The line was so long that it snaked the perimeter of Scotiabank Arena and wound way down Front Street, even hours before game time. They hungered to see the big moment made in Toronto, not in a Game 7 on Monday in Milwaukee,” the report stated. (Photo: The Canadian Press)
