2019 NBA Finals

Updated: 12/10/2025, 9:08:29 PM Wikipedia source

The 2019 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2018–19 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In the best-of-seven playoff series, the Eastern Conference champion Toronto Raptors defeated the two-time defending NBA champion and Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors in six games to win their first NBA championship as well as the first win by an NBA team based outside the United States. Kawhi Leonard was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second time in his career, becoming the first player to be named the Finals MVP while playing for both conferences. The series began on May 30 and ended on June 13. This was the first NBA Finals appearance for the Raptors, and the league's first finals with games played outside of the United States. The Raptors finished the regular season with a 58–24 record, the second-best in the league and in the Eastern Conference. The Warriors had a 57–25 record, finishing the regular season with the best record in the Western Conference and third-best overall. with ambitions to become the first team in NBA history since the Los Angeles Lakers (2000 to 2002 to achieve a three-peat, having previously won in 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals. It marked the first time since 2015 that the Warriors opened the series on the road. This was also the first Finals since 2010 not to feature LeBron James, who played in the past eight Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat. The Raptors opened the series with a dominant Game 1 victory. After the Warriors tied the series in Game 2, the Raptors won the next two games on the road to move on the verge of an NBA championship. Back in Toronto, Kevin Durant returned after several absences in the playoffs, only to tear his Achilles tendon in a close game. Nonetheless, the Warriors held off a chance for the Raptors to win the title at home, sending the series to a Game 6 in the Oracle Arena for the last time. There, Klay Thompson would suffer an ACL tear, and the Raptors went on to win in another close game. This is the most recent Finals featuring the defending champions.

Infobox

Team

TeamCoachWins Toronto Raptors Nick Nurse 4 Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr 2

Dates

May 30 – June 13

MVP

Kawhi Leonard(Toronto Raptors)

Eastern finals

Raptors defeated Bucks, 4–2

Western finals

Warriors defeated Trail Blazers, 4–0

Tables

· Background › Road to the Finals

Eastern Conference#TeamWLPCTGBGP1z – Milwaukee Bucks *6022.732–822y – Toronto Raptors *5824.7072.0823x – Philadelphia 76ers5131.6229.0824x – Boston Celtics4933.59811.0825x – Indiana Pacers4834.58512.0826x – Brooklyn Nets4240.51218.0827y – Orlando Magic *4240.51218.0828x – Detroit Pistons4141.50019.0829Charlotte Hornets3943.47621.08210Miami Heat3943.47621.08211Washington Wizards3250.39028.08212Atlanta Hawks2953.35431.08213Chicago Bulls2260.26838.08214Cleveland Cavaliers1963.23241.08215New York Knicks1765.20743.082 2nd seed in the East, 2nd best league record