The Golden State Warriors are showing their championship pedigree even in defeat.
The Warriors took out a full-page ad in Monday’s Toronto Star to congratulate the Raptors on their first NBA title. The Raptors beat Golden State in six games to win the championship series and deny the Warriors a third straight Larry O’Brien Trophy and fourth in five years.
A full-page ad in the Toronto Star congratulating the Toronto Raptors on their NBA Championship.Graeme Roy/The Canadian Press
“The Golden State Warriors congratulate the Toronto Raptors on their historic achievement and bringing the 2019 NBA championship to the City of Toronto,” read the ad, which featured a black-and-white photo of Warriors point guard Stephen Curry hugging Raptors counterpart Kyle Lowry after Game 6.
The Raptors finished off the hard-fought series with a 114-110 win Thursday in Oakland. The team celebrated with a parade through Toronto on Monday.
Enormous crowds of Raptors fans packed a route through Toronto’s downtown to see the NBA champions first-hand. Hours later than scheduled, the team arrived at Nathan Phillips Square where they thanked fans for the outpouring of support.