TORONTO, May 31 — The Toronto Raptors stunned the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors 118-109 in the opening game of the NBA Finals yesterday.
In the first ever NBA Finals game played outside of the United States, Toronto were led by Cameroonian forward Pascal Siakam’s 32 points while Golden State’s sharp-shooting duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson failed to find their groove.
Toronto, with the support of an entire nation behind them, came out firing in their Finals debut and were not intimidated by a talent-laden Warriors team who are playing in the NBA’s championship series for a fifth consecutive season.
The Raptors led nearly the entire way and built a 12-point lead, their largest of the game, when Danny Green drained a three-pointer from the corner that whipped the crowd into a frenzy with seven-and-a-half minutes to play.
The Warriors, who are trying to become the first NBA team to win three consecutive titles since the Los Angeles Lakers did it in 2002, got to within eight points but the Raptors held firm and padded their lead in the closing minutes.
Game Two of the best-of-seven championship series in on Sunday in Toronto. — Reuters
