Last season, the Toronto Raptors took a major gamble in acquiring a former Finals MVP from the San Antonio Spurs in hopes he could lead them to their first championship in franchise history. He did just that but decided to move on in free agency going home and signing with L.A.’s other basketball team. On Wednesday night he returned to city to play against the team he led to that first title and received a very warm reception. Then a game happened and said players current team won against his former one.
Before tip-off of the Los Angeles Clippers at the Toronto Raptors before a national television audience Wednesday night on ESPN, which the Clippers (20-8) won over the Raptors (17-8) 112-92, last season Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who led the Raptors to their first championship last June when they took down the five-time defending champion Golden State Warriors in six games received his 640 diamond-studded championship ring and the Canadian faithful that packed Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario Canada gave him a well deserved standing ovation before the game.
That love and respect began when Leonard, who had had 23 points, six assists, five rebounds and two block shots in the win took the floor for pregame warmups as many fans in the building rocked his No. 2 jersey from last season and his Clippers No. 2 jersey this season.
That respect stems from the fact that Leonard as mentioned led the Raptors to a 16-8 mark in the 2019 Playoffs resulting in their first title in their 25-year history behind averages of 30 points and nine rebounds.
More than anything, Leonard the Raptors organization the validation that they have been seeking for nearly a decade.
What can get lost in Leonard’s journey is how hard it was to reach the top again. This is a man that did the unthinkable and wanted out from the Spurs, one of the best run organizations not just in the NBA but in the four major North American sports (NHL, NFL, MLB) because of how they handled the three-time All-Stars and now two-time Finals MVP’s quad injury that kept him out all but nine games in 2017-18.
He was traded to the Raptors, a new organization in a new city very foreign to the California native. Leonard not only came to the Raptors and delivered but he put not just the Raptors but all of Canada on the map as they became the first pro sports team outside the United States to win a pro sports title since the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays.
That is why when he took the court, he was greeted with a rousing applause of those in attendance in the arena. The organization after the introduction of the Clippers starters, the Raptors did a video tribute of Leonard’s stellar play last regular season and his epic run in the 2019 postseason and the championship parade, where over two million people attended that followed.
To thank the fans for their support during last season, Leonard and New Balance took out a billboard in downtown Toronto ahead of Wednesday night’s contest that read, “Thank you Toronto.”
Leonard, who was 8 for 14 from the field on the night making two made threes and going 5 for 5 from the free throw line in the win on Wednesday night added when asked about the billboard said, “The fans were amazing last year. They rolled with us through the ups-and-downs. We were down ever series. They stuck through it with us. They brought great energy to every game and helped us. So, to them I say thank you.”
Following the Clippers intros, Leonard’s former teammates, along with head coach Nick Nurse and his assistant coaches and members of the Raptors front office like team president Masai Ujiri gathered in a circle at center court where Leonard walked over and embraced each player before All-Star lead guard Kyle Lowry presented him with his diamond-studded championship ring as the crowd chanted “MVP! MVP! MVP! MVP!”
“He helped this franchise do amazing things and he got his ring,” Lowry, who had just six points on 1 for 8 shooting, including 0 for 7 from three-point range in the Raptors third straight home loss said.
During that moment, Leonard after taking the moment in raised his arms and waved to the crowd.
“As far as winning a championship, you know, it pretty much comes full circle now,” Leonard said postgame. “Being able to get the ring, you know, see what the hard work came from. But it’s more than that. It’s just a journey, but you know, for me as far as playing, you know, for the city that chapter been kind of closed once I came over with the Clippers.”
“But still love the city, you know? Those guys on the team, the players, the coaching staff. Still got love for them and wish them the best.”
When Leonard, who scored a then season-low 12 points on 1 for 11 shooting in the Clippers 98-88 win versus the Raptors in L.A. in the first meeting on Nov. 11 received the ring on all the way before the game but spent more time with it afterward saying, “I sat in the locker room with it for a bit, just admiring it and just remembering all the memories and all the hard work that went into it.”
That hard work, focus, and dedication Leonard brought to the Raptors last season he has brought over to the Clippers and it was on full display on this night as the Clippers outscored the Raptors 85-60 the final three quarters, leading by as many as 24 points.
The Clippers outrebounded the Raptors 50-47, to improve to 14-0 this season when they outrebound their opponent. They held the Raptors to 35.2 percent shooting on the night, including a season-worst 8 for 36 (22.2 percent) from three-point range, and forced 18 turnovers to square their road record at 6-6 and improve to 3-1 on their six-game road trip.
Last season, the Toronto Raptors took a major gamble in acquiring Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs in hopes he could bring them a title without the guarantee that he would re-sign with them regardless of last season’s results.
Leonard led the Raptors to the top of the NBA mountain, and then left in free agency to return home to California and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
He returned to Toronto on Wednesday night and received his championship ring and warm pleasantries from the players, front office personnel of the Raptors that he led to the top of the NBA mountain as well as Raptors fans and all Canadians from superfan and entertainer Drake to those watch him at Scotiabank Arena last season and on television.
Leonard has talked openly about the number of Canadians who have come up to him that reside in Southern California from places like Calgary, British Columbia, Victoria, and Saskatchewan Canada to say thank you.
While the Raptors and their fans suffered a loss Wednesday night to a former player and his new team, they did get a chance to say thank you to Leonard, who in his one season in Canada made a lasting impact that will be remembered for a long time.
“It meant a lot,” Clippers head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers said of the warm reception Leonard got from the Raptors faithful. “Some players just don’t let you in but I can tell you that ovation, to him, was very heartfelt. There’s no question about that.”
Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of https://www.nba.com/games/20191211/LACTOR#/recap/boxscore/matchup; 12/11/19 7 p.m. ESPN’s “NBA Courtside” and “Los Angeles Clippers versus Toronto Raptors,” presented by State Farm with Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Richard Jefferson, and Jorge Sedano; 12/12/19 12 a.m. edition ESPN’s “Sportscenter,” with Scott Van Pelt; and 12/12/19 1:30 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime,” with Matt Winer and Dennis Scott.
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