May 12, 2019, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Canada. Game 7 of the conference semifinals against the 76ers, 90-90, 4 seconds left. Inbound pass for the Raptors. Marc Gasol passes the ball to Kawhi Leonard. Closely guarded by Joel Embiid, Leonard drives along the baseline. He takes a jump shot from the corner with less than a second remaining. The ball soars through the air as the buzzer sounds. The entire arena, no, the entire world holds its breath. The ball bounces once, then twice, hangs on the rim, and finally falls… into the net.

Toronto wins 92-90 and advances to the conference finals, marking one of the most memorable moments in NBA history.

 

 

2018 : The Kawhi Leonard Gamble

In July 2018, the Raptors trade DeMar DeRozan, a franchise icon, for Kawhi Leonard. Masai Ujiri, the General Manager, took a big risk by recruiting Leonard despite his health issues and trust problems with his former team, the Spurs. The goal was clear: to bring Toronto its first NBA title.

“Kawhi is a phenomenal player on both ends of the court. His impact on the game is undeniable.” – LeBron James.

 

 

The Difficult Period with the Spurs

At the time, Kawhi was with the Spurs, and the Texas franchise wasn’t foolish enough to let their rising star go easily. This was the result of a long descent into turmoil that began in 2017.

During that period, Kawhi missed many games due to mysterious injuries that even Coach Pop had difficulty discussing in interviews. The player, not being very expressive, was managed by his uncle, who had a significant influence on him after the death of his father. His uncle interfered and acted as a go-between for the Spurs and their Californian player. Additionally, he meddled in Kawhi’s rehabilitation, completely isolating him from his teammates.

“Playing alongside Kawhi is a privilege. His determination and professionalism elevate the entire team’s level.” – Paul George.

They even developed a distrust of the Spurs’ medical staff and preferred to consult top doctors in New York. Leonard ultimately did not return to the court that season.

In an attempt to reconcile with his protégé, Popovich flew to New York, hoping to solve the mystery of the injuries and bring his player back home. Unfortunately, he returned empty-handed from his New York trip, along with a resignation and a Christmas list of his ex-player’s preferred destinations, including the two franchises from his hometown, the Clippers and the Lakers. But the Spurs were no longer willing to give in to another whim of their former star and let him go to the highest bidder, sending “The Claw” to the cool climate of Canada.

 

 

A Historic Season for the Raptors

Upon his arrival, Ujiri replaced coach Dwane Casey with his assistant, Nick Nurse. In his first season, Kawhi Leonard led the team to an impressive record of 58 wins and 24 losses, finishing 2nd in the Eastern Conference. The emergence of Pascal Siakam, who was named Most Improved Player of the Year, bolstered this dynamic.

“He is the most of the best defenders I’ve faced. His intencity and focus are impressive.” – Kevin Durant.

Surrounded by his lieutenants — Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, and Marc Gasol — Kawhi recorded one of his best seasons with impressive statistics: an average of 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. This collective had all the makings of a contender team, with only the playoffs left to conquer.

 

 

2019 Playoffs: A Legendary Journey

First Round : Raptors vs. Magic

Toronto dominated Aaron Gordon’s Magic in five games (4-1). Kawhi averaged 28 points per game, establishing himself as the undisputed leader.

 

Semifinals : Raptors vs. 76ers

After dispatching Orlando, the Canadians faced a big challenge in the Philadelphia 76ers. That same year, the 76ers’ GM followed Ujiri’s example and went all-in by recruiting Butler and Harris to support their star duo, Embiid and Simmons. The series began with both teams showing their intentions clearly: victory and nothing else. They traded blows, and the 76ers forced a Game 7.

“That’s why you play to get home court. Has to be top 2/3 game winning shots of all time maybe 1” – Jameer Nelson.

Like the previous six games, the score remained extremely close throughout the match. However, the 76ers’ team cohesion seemed stronger, while the Raptors’ supporting players struggled to get into the game. In this context, all the balls went to The Claw, a strategy that had paid off so far.

In the final quarter, he woke up and scored 15 of his team’s 25 points with completely indefensible plays.

“Are you serious right now???????” – Donovan Mitchell.

With 10 seconds left, the Canadians led by one point. Kawhi was at the free-throw line after a foul by Redick. With icy execution, he made the first free throw but missed the second, making it 90-88 Raptors. Harris grabbed the rebound, passed it to Simmons, who sent it directly to Butler, speeding down the court on a fast break. Defended by the giant Serge Ibaka, Jimmy adapted and sent a high layup off the backboard, impossible to block. It went in, 90-90, with 4.2 seconds left. Nurse called a timeout to devise an anti-overtime strategy, known as the Kawhification. It was simple: get the ball to Leonard at all costs so he could attempt a shot only he could make.

But the 76ers weren’t fooled and knew that only the cyborg Kawhi could stop the series on this inbound play. They decided to send Simmons and Embiid to contest him.

“WoW! you got the juice now!” – Dwyane Wade.

Gasol followed the plan and managed to get the ball to Kawhi, who ran to the right corner, closely followed by the 76ers’ defenders. He still managed to get off a jump shot at the buzzer. Time stood still; no one breathed in the Scotiabank Arena, or in all of Canada. The 76ers’ center knew he had made Kawhi’s task impossible with his defense.

The ball soared through the air, came down, hit the rim once, twice, then a third time before finally dropping through the net. Toronto won 92-90 and advanced to the conference finals for the second time in their history.

“Biggest shot in Raptors history.” – Jamal Crawford.