[35][38], Golden State made 20 three-pointers, the second most in NBA Finals history behind Cleveland's 24 against the Warriors in Game 4 in 2017. Game 6 drew, at its peak, 6.028 million viewers.To put that in perspective, Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, which included a team from Canada and did not include LeBron James, drew 18.34 million viewers. Updated on: June 14, 2019 / 12:47 AM )", "Warriors beat Clippers 112-94; Boogie fouls out of debut", "Warriors: Death Lineup makes early appearance against Clippers, turns tide", "Draymond Green Again Proves He's the Ultimate Winner in Closeout Win", "What we know and don't know about this Warriors-Raptors Finals", "Raptors vs. Warriors: Everything you need to know about the 2019 NBA Finals", "Warriors-Rockets II: Everything to know for the must-see sequel", "Warriors Start Hamptons Five, Showing Urgency in Win Over Rockets", "After Game 1, Steve Kerr says 'it's a series where we can play more people, "Kevin Durant Pulled From Game 5 Against Rockets With Leg Injury", "Warriors know Game 6 will require an extra helping of Curry", "Stephen Curry's late heroics lift the Warriors to series-clinching Game 6 win", "En Route to Fifth Straight Finals, Warriors Show They're the Greatest Comeback Team in NBA History", "Warriors first to 5 Finals in row since 1966 Celtics", "Peak Stephen Curry was unleashed in the Western Conference finals", "With Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors Find Success That Endures", "Kawhi Leonard Proves He Is Worth Risking It All", "The Raptors Were Trying to Tell Us They Were Great, We Just Weren't Listening", "Raptors fans gather at Jurassic Park 'to be part of history, "Toronto ready to take center stage with Raptors in NBA Finals", "Raptors take NBA Finals opener, beat Warriors 118-109", "How bad is Andre Iguodala's latest injury and what does it mean for the Warriors? major North American professional sports leagues, the largest public gathering in one place for one event in Canadian history, "Kawhi Leonard joins elite company in winning Finals MVP", "How long has it been since each team last made The Finals? They secured the title with a 114-110 win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals… When it actually ended, the typically stoic Leonard could let it all out. [51], In the United States, the Finals was televised by ABC in English and ESPN Deportes in Spanish. He limped off the court and was helped to the locker room. [31] Golden State played without injured starters Thompson and Durant, and backup big man Looney. Field Level Media/Reuters Feb 05 01:10 AM. The Warriors were already without Kevin Durant, out with a ruptured Achilles that left the team fielding some criticism about the risk he was taking by returning to the series while already dealing with a lower-leg injury. During the off-season, Golden State acquired DeMarcus Cousins, who was recovering from a ruptured left Achilles. Lusia Harris was the first woman to be drafted in the NBA. [62], The Canadian record would be surpassed by Game 2, with an average of 4.3 million across TSN, the French-language broadcast on RDS, and CTV2's simulcast of ABC's broadcast, and an estimate that the game was seen at any point by at least 10 million viewers. VanVleet contributed 11 points off the bench. Real-time NBA Basketball scores on ESPN. [36] However, he was lost for the game two minutes into the second quarter when he tried to drive by Ibaka and suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, falling and grabbing his lower right calf. [10] Cousins tore his left quadriceps in Game 2, and was initially thought to be out for the remainder of the postseason. There was no word on on severity of the injury. Celebrate the Toronto Raptors becoming the 2019 NBA Finals Champions by grabbing this sweet Galaxy Symmetry Case. However, due to this overcrowding, the parade was delayed an additional three hours as numerous fans bypassed the barricades, blocking the parade route. TSN publicized that a total of 15.9 million unique viewers watched some point of the telecast, and 9.99 million were watching during the final minute. ", "N.B.A. The leading team switched throughout the game, with the Raptors clinging to a one-point lead with 18 seconds left. He gave the Warriors a true, top-flight center for the first time under head coach Steve Kerr. [56] The series technically marked the first time that a team's regional broadcaster has produced its own coverage of games during the NBA Finals; these local broadcasts had access to ABC's camera feeds, along with additional cameras that were part of its own production resources. after a sensational send-off at Oracle Arena. [54] Sportsnet's sister broadcast network Citytv similarly simulcast games 3 and 5. [69][70], Game 6 further exceeded these numbers with an average of 7.7 million. The Warriors' 18 unanswered points to begin the second half were the most in NBA Finals history to start a half. A bizarre sequence in the aftermath led to the Warriors calling a timeout they didn't have, which effectively ended the game. [1], This was the first NBA Finals appearance for the Raptors, and the league's first finals with games played outside of the United States. Stephen Curry missed a contested 3-pointer in the waning moments before Golden State called a timeout it didn't have, giving Leonard a technical free throw with 0.9 seconds left to seal it. Toronto was the first Canadian team to win the NBA title and the first non-American team to win any of the Big Four North American sports titles since the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball won the World Series in 1993. [10] The move stunned the All-Star DeRozan, who had become a fan favorite in his nine seasons in Toronto. [34] Serge Ibaka scored 20 points for Toronto, shooting 9 for 12 in 22 minutes off the bench. [29] Warriors backup center Kevon Looney missed the second half with a chest contusion. [38] Golden State played most of the second half without Looney, who aggravated his cartilage fracture after colliding with Lowry while battling for a rebound. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. [26], Leonard had 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists in his first NBA Finals game since he was named the Finals MVP in 2014. [21][22] It was a risky move for the Raptors and their president, Masai Ujiri, as Leonard was one year away from becoming a free agent,[21] and he wanted to leave the Spurs after playing in just nine games in 2017–18 due to tendinopathy in his left quadriceps. The standings and stats of the current NBA season. That only delayed the celebration for a moment. [28][29] Leonard led the Raptors with 34 points and 14 rebounds, and Fred VanVleet added 17 points. [3] Also for the first time after the past four postseasons, the Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers did not meet in the championship round. Klay Thompson was injured in the third quarter, landing awkwardly on his leg while trying to dunk. [28][29] Toronto scored 10 straight points to pull within two points at 106–104, but Iguodala cemented the win with a three-pointer with 5.9 seconds remaining in the game. Kerr had said that the Warriors were not going to play him if there was risk of further damage. Golden State Warriors. [37] Originally expected to become a free agent after the 2018–19 season, he had a $31.5 million option to remain with Golden State for another season. Pascal Siakam also went for 26, while Kawhi Leonard and Fred VanVleet each added 22 of their own. Iguodala had 22 points despite shooting only 1 of 5 on free throws. [30][32], Toronto took a 3–1 lead in the series after Leonard scored 36 points and had 12 rebounds in a 105–92 road win over Golden State. [30], Thompson practiced earlier in the day but did not warm up for the game. Championship", "Kawhi 1st to win Finals MVP in both conferences", "Toronto Raptors Are Kings Of The NBA And The Toast Of Canada", "NBA, YouTube TV announce first-ever partnership for 2018 Finals", "Raptors, Warriors set for historic matchup in 2019 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV", "Your 2019 NBA Finals announcing schedule", "TSN Announces Schedule for NBA Finals, Featuring Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors", "CTV jumps on Raptors' bandwagon for Game 6 Thursday", "Where to watch Raptors vs. Warriors NBA finals", "Sportsnet back in the game with Raptors", "NBA Finals 2019: As Raptors Fever Takes Over Canada, MLSE Serves Up Game Coverage on Sportsnet, TSN", "Raptors set Canadian TV record in Game 1 of NBA Finals, but U.S. ratings down", "NBA Finals posts smallest audience ever in Game 1", "NBA Finals Game 1 Scores Lowest Ratings in 10 Years", "TV Ratings: NBA Finals Open With 10-Year Low", "Game 1 of the NBA Finals pulled in the lowest overnight for a Finals game since 2013, thanks to a few factors", "TV Ratings: NBA Finals Game 3 Stays Low", "Ratings Roundup: As Canadian Fans Carry 2019 NBA Finals, the Tennis Channel's Coverage of the French Open Jumps 47% from 2018", "Friday Ratings: NBA Finals Game 4 Ratings Take A Tumble From 2018 As Raptors Win Again", "NBA Finals posts lowest Game 4 overnight since 2007", "Toronto Raptors set another Canadian TV record for Game 4 of NBA Finals", "Top Programs – Total Canada (English) February 18, 2019 - February 24, 2019", "NBA Finals Game 5 set another Canadian record, beat Big Bang Theory finale", "NBA Finals Ratings Hit 2019 High With Game 5 Warriors' Comeback; Down From 2017", "Toronto Raptors set another Canadian television record on title night", "TV Ratings: Strong Numbers for Toronto Raptors' NBA Title Clincher", "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.30.19", "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.2.19", "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.5.19", "NBA Finals Game 4 adjusts up, 'NBA Countdown' and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night' adjust down: Friday final ratings", "The NBA Finals adjust up: Monday final ratings", "A blockbuster in Canada, Raptors' win draws healthy rating in U.S.", https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/raptors-parade-route-1.5175920, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/raptors-victory-parade-problems-1.5179508, "Crowdsat Raptors parade played role in infant's death? TSN sister broadcast television network CTV 2 aired simulcasts of ABC's feed for games 2 and 4 in order to enforce simultaneous substitution rights on ABC stations carried on pay television,[53] while game 6 was simulcast on CTV. Thompson scored a game-high 30 points for the Warriors, but was lost for the game with 2:22 remaining in the third quarter after landing awkwardly and suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee on a drive to the basket contested by Danny Green. They trailed by 11 with almost two minutes left until halftime before cutting it to 59–54 at the half. [5], During the off-season, Golden State acquired DeMarcus Cousins, who was recovering from a ruptured left Achilles. During an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in November 2018, Draymond Green cursed out teammate Kevin Durant over his upcoming free agencystatus after the season, and he was suspended for the much-publicized blowup. The Celtics advanced 10 straight times, winning nine, including eight consecutive. Finals: Warriors Tie Series With Raptors", "Warriors beat Raptors 109-104 to even NBA Finals", "Raptors hit big shots, beat Warriors for 2-1 NBA Finals lead", "Thompson: The Warriors need some help because the Game 3 version of their lineup can't beat the Raptors", "Looney listed as questionable for Game 4", "Leonard, Raptors move within victory of first championship", "The Raptors Won Game 4 and Are 1 Win From an N.B.A. [18][19] After starting nine consecutive games,[3] Iguodala missed the deciding Game 4 with a sore left calf injury from Game 3. Serge Ibaka pulled his head up through the hoop by the Golden State bench as the crowd chanted "Warriors! Curry had 21 points for Golden State, but he was hounded by the Raptors in the fourth quarter without Durant or Thompson available. For people who enjoy watching nard-kicker and general loudmouth Draymond Green suck and fail, the 2019 NBA Finals. First published on June 13, 2019 / 11:48 PM. Game 1. The Toronto Raptors are NBA champions for the the first time in franchise history. The Associated Press contributed to this report. [36] Cousins, who did not enter the game until Durant's injury, had 14 points and six rebounds for the Warriors, and Green added 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. They combined for three straight 3-pointers after the Raptors led by six points with ​3.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px;white-space:nowrap} 1⁄2 minutes left in the game. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Finals on Sunday night to claim their 17th NBA championship, a tie for the most in league history [33][34], Curry scored 31 points and Thompson had 26 to help the Warriors stave off elimination with a 106–105 win at Toronto. [41][42] In its Last Two Minutes report, the NBA stated that Cousins should have been called for a shooting foul on Gasol with 49 seconds left in the game, which would have given Gasol two free throws with the Raptors trailing 106–103 at the time. This OtterBox piece is perfect for showing the champs some love! [46], As part of a multiyear partnership that began in 2018, the internet television service YouTube TV was the presenting sponsor of the series,[50] even in Canada despite its lack of legal availability there at the time, which was officially named the NBA Finals 2019 presented by YouTube TV. It was academic, as time would have otherwise expired had they not attempted to stop the clock. After a late turnover by the Raptors, they even had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, but Steph Curry's 3 didn't go down. "I don't believe there's anybody to blame [for Durant's injury], but I understand in this world, and if you have to, you can blame me," said Bob Myers, the Warriors' president of basketball operations. The 2019 NBA Draft took place Thursday evening in Brooklyn with a whole lot of fanfare. [33], Siakam added 19 points for the Raptors. [40], Nurse was criticized for calling a timeout with Toronto up 103–97 after going on a 12–2 run; the Splash Brothers' three 3-pointers came after the break. [46], Leonard averaged 28.5 points per game in the series,[47] and joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only players to be named Finals MVP with two different teams. Acquired by the Raptors via a trade during the off-season, Kawhi Leonard was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second time in his career. [20] This was Golden State's fifth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. [36][39], Durant left the arena on crutches and in a walking boot. [28], Leonard scored 30 points and the Raptors shot 52.4% and made 17 three-pointers to win 123–109 on the road over the short-handed Warriors. [27] Durant, the MVP of the last two NBA Finals, traveled with the team to Toronto, but remained sidelined. [36][37] Leonard scored 10 straight points in the fourth quarter to erase Golden State's 14-point lead. The viewership numbers for the sixth and final game of the NBA Finals are in, and they are atrocious. [2] Home-court advantage was awarded to Toronto, who finished the regular season with one more win (58–24) than Golden State (57–25). Play-by-play commentator Mike Breen, and analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson called the series on ABC, while Álvaro Martín (play-by-play) and Carlos Morales (analyst) were on ESPN Deportes.[52].