Many NBA experts have predicted the league-leading Toronto Raptors will take on the league-champion Golden State Warriors in the finals this season.
If they prove to be correct, it doesn’t sound as if Warriors All-Star forward Kevin Durant will be too surprised.
Following his team’s 113-93 loss on Wednesday night at the claws of the Raptors, Durant reflected on what he had seen from Toronto in their two meetings this season. The Raptors also won the teams’ first matchup, sweeping the regular-season series from Golden State 2-0.
“They have champions over there,” Durant said. “They got a great mix of veteran and young players. They got a new coach, but the leaders of that team have been through some wars. So I wouldn’t call them a young team or say them beating us two times is going to give them extra confidence. They’ve been ballin’ before that, and they’re going to be ballin’ after they beat us. So they’re not an up-and-coming team. They’re here.”
In the win, point guard Kyle Lowry had 23 points and 12 assists to lead the team while Serge Ibaka added 20, Danny Green scored 15, Pascal Siakam had 13 and Fred VanVleet chipped in 10.
The performance by Toronto – which came with star player Kawhi Leonard on the bench nursing an injury – has some even reconsidering their stance that the Warriors would beat Toronto in a seven-game series.
"For the Raptors, without their best player, to go into Oracle and win that game convincingly, on a back-to-back, when the Warriors are rested? I couldn't have seen this coming from a 100 miles away. This Raptors team is VERY legit." — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/qFByFi2kE1
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) December 13, 2018
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