Ready to jump on the Raptors' bandwagon? Here is a guide to Canada's team and the NBA Finals
How to sound smart when talking about the Toronto Raptors, even if you haven't watched all year
With the NBA Finals making its first stop in Canada, people across the country who haven't watched basketball all year are tuning in to watch the Toronto Raptors face the Golden State Warriors.
Good news, the Raptors' bandwagon is an inviting one, so hop on.
Don't worry, no one is going to judge you because you haven't gone through the painful experience of watching Andrea Bargnani or Hedo Turkoglu.
Let's just say, it's been a long 23 seasons to get to this point.
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You might have some questions.
Who is this Kawhi Leonard guy? Why does the broadcast keep showing Drake? Why does the announcer keep calling Serge Ibaka a chef? And, aren't the jerseys supposed to be purple with a dinosaur?
All fair questions. Let's dive into some of the answers, so you are ready to cheer on the Raptors in the NBA Finals.
The Kawhi factor
First thing you need to know, is Kawhi Leonard is really, really good. People have been comparing Leonard's spectacular playoff run to the play of NBA legend Michael Jordan. That is elite company.
You probably saw his game-winning shot all over social media. You know, the one where the basketball bounced on the rim eighteen times — OK, it was four times, but you get the idea — before going in?
And he's not just good at putting the ball in the net. He's also really good at stopping other people from putting the ball in the net. Leonard is a two-time NBA defensive player of the year.
But you really need to watch him now. This could be his only season in Toronto.
Leonard is in the final year of his contract, so after the playoffs are over, he becomes a free agent and can play for whichever team he wants and can afford to pay him.
Many so-called NBA insiders believe Leonard will sign with the Los Angeles Clippers because he's from California.
But the idea that he could stick with the Raptors has been gaining momentum, especially with the incredible playoff success he's had with the team.
Sure, California's sunny weather may be a draw over Canada's snowstorms. Raptors fans are holding out hope Leonard will savour this post-season success and consider trading his shades for snowshoes.
How Hungry are you?
This season, Raptors centre Serge Ibaka started his own cooking show, called How Hungry are You? Because, well, why not?
Throughout the year, Ibaka hosted various teammates and made them eat less-than-appealing dishes, such as bull testicles and lamb brain — and yet, they kept coming on his show.
Throughout the YouTube series, he would ask his guests, "How hungry are you?" and though most people weren't interested in Ibaka's dishes, the team is certainly hungry for an NBA championship.
The Toronto Raptors are a team full of players who have failed in the playoffs and who have had to fight to prove they belonged in the NBA.
The Raptors are a team comprised of underdogs.
And no one exudes that more than the team's longtime all-star point guard, Kyle Lowry. He's the guy who dives for the ball and does all the little things he can to make sure they win.
The Raptors acquired Marc Gasol during a mid-season trade and the veteran centre has been an integral part in the playoff run. Gasol is best known for his performance on the court, but he is active in humanitarian work off the court. Last summer, he was involved in helping rescue migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.
All-time greats
Leonard won't be the only future legend on the court when the teams tip off. Golden State's Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are both league MVPs and are both destined to be hall of famers.
The Warriors have won three of the past four championships and they're looking to make it a fourth. If the Warriors win this series, it will certainly cement their spot in the history books as an all-time great team.
Golden State's ascension from mediocrity to a dynasty has not come without controversy.
There is solace for Raptors fans. Durant is out with an injury for the first game of the series and it's unknown how long he'll be out for.
Best Drake ever had
Ah yes, the most controversial part of the Raptors' playoff run, the man who refers to himself as the 6 God. Toronto rapper Drake has been courtside at the Raptors' home games throughout the playoffs and the finals will be no exception.
He's had no shortage of antics this year.
In the conference finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Drake, who is the global ambassador for the Raptors, gave coach Nick Nurse an energizing shoulder rub, and in the next game he waved the Bucks off the court after the Raptors won.
Famous fans are nothing new to the NBA. Jack Nicholson and Spike Lee have long been seen courtside watching their favourite teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks.
Drake's sideline behaviour has earned the Raptors a call from the NBA head office asking the team to rein in their most famous fan.
Late tip offs
Now that you have been convinced to pull on a Raptors shirt and have embraced the We the North movement, there is a catch. Sorry, but we saved that for the end.
New Brunswick NBA fans will need to transform into night owls for the next two weeks. All of the games will start at either 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. AT.
On the bright side, that's still better than paying $60,000 for courtside tickets inside Toronto's Scotiabank Arena.
If you want that shared experience of watching the Raptors in a group, there are 33 Cineplex theatres across Canada showing the games. In New Brunswick, the Cineplex Theatre on Trinity Drive in Moncton will show the games.
So get some popcorn, your favourite beverage and perhaps a pillow and prepare for an entertaining series.
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