The Finals - Spurs win NBA Championship; close out Raptors, 106-85. (4-0)

In quiet "Spurs"-like fashion, the Spurs won the NBA Title.

The Raptors had their best game of the series, with the lead up for grabs in the 3rd Quarter, but the Spurs regained control and succeeded at a 4-0 stranglehold to this series.

Once again, the Spurs came out strong winning the first quarter 33-18. Toronto would recover somewhat in the 2nd Quarter, but the Spurs won the third 28-21 and held off the desperate home team 22-14 in an unremarkable final period that had most fans heading for the exits, an underwhelming turnout to the team's first trip to the Finals during the era of dominance by LeBron James.

Pau Gasol played well in the Finals.

The Spurs shot 50% and claimed the glass 46-31, including 10 second chance opportunities that crippled any hopes for momentum by Toronto. Both teams were sloppy, but the Spurs had 11 steals and 9 blocks. In the season-ending defeat, Kyle Lowry had 25 points, making 4/7 from long range.

DeRozan's Raptors got swept in four, one-sided games.

DeMar DeRozan had 19 points, but went 0-3 from long range. Norman Powell went scoreless from the field and Serge Ibaka's presence was not felt on the boards, finishing with only 13 points. Toronto's bench was not much help, either, and their other starter, CJ Miles, shot just 2/8. Its young big men, Poetl & Siakam, had a relatively quiet night, making the outcome a near certainty.

Pau Gasol had 26 points with 13 rebounds on 84% shooting. Despite Kawhi Leonard's heroic play throughout the playoffs, Gasol took the Finals MVP honors once again with 2 blocks. Leonard had 22 points with 4 steals. Iman Shumpert capped off a strong Finals performance with 14 points, 3 steals and 7 rebounds. Jeremy Lamb had 8 points, Davis Bertans had 6; Bismack Biyombo denied 3 blocks with 7 rebounds. Patty Mills had 17 points, making a trio of daggers from deep.

Coach Popovich & Tony Parker did it again!

A season that saw prospects improve, the old guard challenge the new, and everything else in-between comes to its rightful close: a 7th championship in 8 seasons for the ageless Spurs.

The Finals - Spurs pummel Raptors, 113-83 (3-0)

The Raptors suffered a blowout at home, scoring poorly.

The Raptors fell victim to the ice age in Game 3, shooting poorly from all parts of the court. Meanwhile, the visiting San Antonio Spurs pummeled Toronto with long-range excellence, splashing in 17 three-point daggers. The Raptors shot 34% overall, a staggering deficiency. They lost the opening quarter 28-11, and the other three quarters that followed. San Antonio dominated the boards 58-41, pouring it on as Toronto did the rest of basketball well with few turnovers.

It's hard to lose by thirty points in your own arena, in a game that is ideally meant to renew a team's chances in a playoff series, especially when the opposing team's best player (Kawhi Leonard) had a 1-9 start from the field. The Raptors just kept missing shots inside, outside...with a sigh. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol had 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Spurs had a foreboding start to the game on a 12-0 run. Mario Hezonja and Davis Bertans burned the Raptors for a quartet of 3PT blows, the visitors roughing up Toronto on every drive. Bismack Biyombo hoarded glass with 13 rebounds and 2 blocks for 8 points. Patty Mills had 8 points with 9 assists, making two long shots. Rudy Gay had six points. Kyle O'Quinn had 5 blocks and 7 rebounds, stifling any comeback chances down low. Dejounte Murray carved up the defense with 12 points inside, making a 3PTer as well and nabbing 1 steal.

Iman Shumpert was in the zone tonight, '3 & D' personified.

Iman Shumpert had 18 points, blocking Fred VanVleet's 3PT attempt, catching the loose ball and nailing a 3PTer of his own. He made four 3PT shots in this game, on 63% shooting overall. Davis Bertans finished with 17 points, getting the active slot over the struggling Bryn Forbes.

Late in the game, Mills whipped a pass to Jeremy Lamb in the corner for three more points, who also made two shots in isolation for 9 points with 2 feisty blocks to boot. Kawhi Leonard went 1/10 overall in just 9 minutes, pulled after the cold start and never truly granted re-entry due to the blowout.

In the loss, Kyle Lowry went 3/12 for 15 points and 1/4 from long range. Serge Ibaka had a decent night with 13 points and 12 rebounds, swatting 4 blocks. DeMar DeRozan went 4/11 (10 points, 5 assists) and CJ Miles went 4/16 for 10 points. Norman Powell went 3/17--everybody was frozen as the Spurs seize control in this series en route to a seventh championship in eight seasons. Will the Raptors thaw as a unit and refuse to fall at home in Game 4? Only time will tell...but their reward for that outcome would be a return visit to San Antonio.

The Finals - Spurs fend off Raptors, 103-112. (2-0)

Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan went at each other.

It was the steal by Kawhi Leonard (19 points, 6 steals) on DeMar DeRozan (14 points, 7/18 shooting) that decided the outcome of this chippy, close game two showdown. The Raptors were clearly playing better, having found their perimeter shot, shooting 55% from long range and making a bunch to tie the game late at 101-101.

An early block on DeRozan by Bismack Biyombo (9 points, 10 rebounds, 6 blocks) led to an easy 3PTer for Pau Gasol (27 points, 8 rebounds), then it happened again, Gasol getting hot early again like in Game 1. Jakob Poetl and Serge Ibaka again were fierce down low, Poetl finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds, Ibaka with 9 points and 9 rebounds. Kyle Lowry was the spark of the almost-upset with 26 points and 11 assists, making four 3PTers to keep Toronto within striking distance.

The Spurs had another strong opening quarter, leading 30-18, but only 51-43 at halftime due to an 11-3 run led by DeRozan. The Claw had another highlight dunk over the smaller Lowry in the second quarter, but the Spurs struggled otherwise, letting Toronto get close. The Raptors nearly took the lead to begin the 3rd Quarter as Norman Powell made a 3PT shot. But it was Iman Shumpert's excellent play and effort on both ends that powered the Spurs home to a 2-0 series edge. On a nice cut play, Shumpert freed himself up for a 3PTer in the corner courtesy of a slick pass by Mills. Leonard would steal the ball from DeRozan and launch the ball up to Biyombo for a devastating alley oop slam.

The Raptors return home, nearly getting the 1-1 split.

The lead would grow back to 12 points here, 10 points there, but the Raptors late surge would nearly spoil the home stand by the Spurs, were if not for a big slam by Kawhi and then a strong layup by Shumpert, followed by Rudy Gay (12 points) crossing up the big man Poetl for the easy jumper. DeRozan would try to answer, but was swatted down hard by Biyombo at the basket. Gasol would hit a 3PTer, but Lowry also would, bringing about the tie.

After having the ball stolen from him, DeRozan fouled Leonard, forcing free throws. After a jam by CJ Miles to cut the lead back to four points, Kawhi Leonard would catch a hurried pass up court and bury the 3PT dagger.

The Finals - Spurs handle Raptors, 86-119 (1-0).

The Finals got underway tonight.

The Finals. Where Amazing Happens.

The game opened to Bismack Biyombo swatting a jump shot by DeMar DeRozan and a steal by Iman Shumpert on Lowry leading to a nice layup. Lowry hit a 3PTer, but then was blocked again at the rim by Biyombo. Kawhi Leonard caught a nice pass by Patty Mills for the corner three-pointer, the Spurs going on an 18-0 blitz after a 10-0 run by the Raptors, putting the road team down 33-14 after one.

Pau Gasol had a solid game with 22 points and 6 rebounds on 60% shooting, showing off the full arsenal, playing with Mills well for easy drives on outlet passes, drawing the and-1 foul opportunity. Dunking past Serge Ibaka, Pau had himself a feel-good night. Mario Hezonja came off the bench at the PF position again, netting 19 points and making a trio of 3PTers and shots at the basket, speeding around Ibaka at times more often than being blocked.

Pau Gasol shone for the Spurs in this game.

Spurs fans in attendance enjoyed this 1-0 beat-down.

For Toronto, Kyle Lowry trimmed the lead to 48-59 by halftime, as San Antonio got sloppy with the ball, and Pascal Siakam (10 points, 5 rebounds) and Jakob Poetl (12 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks) showed off their size down low for Toronto, team defense improving and starting to flow for scoring chances. At halftime, DeRozan & Lowry combined for 18 points, but had a hard night following the break. Kawhi Leonard would dupe the Raptors twice with a pair of steals for easy, open 3PT attempts on the wing when he wasn't swatting DeRozan's prayer over the triple-team defense upon driving toward the Spurs basket. A separate block by Biyombo led to a nice 3PTer by Patty Mills, and Shumpert got his licks in too from long range, hitting back-to-back bombs in the second half. Shump was a pest to Lowry all game long, obtaining 4 steals and causing all but one of Lowry's turnovers. Lowry finished with 18 points, as did DeRozan, combining for 36 points but going 11/33 overall together, making only two of eight 3PT attempts.

Kawhi Leonard was the high-point man with 23 points on 9/11 shooting and knocking in 4 of 5 long shots with 4 steals. Serge Ibaka had 10 points with 13 rebounds and 1 block. A spin move past OG Anunoby led to a highlight smash over Siakam, as the San Antonio crowd showered Kawhi with "M-V-P!" chants. A steal by Leonard on the next play would lead to a 3PTer by Jeremy Lamb. Kyle O'Quinn played well behind Biyombo, banging home 12 points and 8 rebounds with 4 blocks. O'Quinn had a few nice put-backs as well, swiping the ball from Poetl in the closing seconds to put in the layup.

Holding Toronto beneath 100 points, the Spurs earned the feel-good 1-0 lead tonight.