It took the Toronto Raptors 26 years to win their first NBA championship. In 2019, Kawhi Leonard, Norman Powell and other former Raptors players defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games to win the championship.Powell recently discussed on Paul George’s podcast why Toronto Can’t win During the LeBron James Cavaliers era.
George asked Powell how he contributed to Toronto’s early inability to get over the hump. His answer was simple.
“LeBron James,” the former Raptors guard said via podcast P with Paul George.
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Powell continued, “This guy’s thinking is on a whole different level because he knows our stuff, he knows their stuff, and he tells their team to follow our defensive scheme.”
Powell believes James’ unique basketball IQ was one of the main reasons the superstar dominated the Raptors before heading to the Western Conference. James faced the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs three times between 2016 and 2018, winning each series. The last two series were swept.
James’ IQ allows him to continue to be one of the top players in the NBA. Fortunately, he left the Eastern Conference in 2017 to join the Los Angeles Lakers.
Toronto’s road back to the Finals has been rocky since 2019. Kawhi Leonard left, and Powell eventually joined him on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Raptors now have the trio of Pascal Siakam, Scotty Barnes and OG Anunoby.
The 2023-24 NBA season has begun. Can Toronto regain its NBA glory?
About the author
Chris Smith is a writer and sports enthusiast from Aurora, Illinois. He currently serves as deputy editor, covering all sports for ClutchPoints. Smith earned a degree in philosophy from Creighton University, where he also competed as a Division I cross country runner. In his free time, he enjoys watching basketball, running long distances, playing NBA 2K, and eating good food.
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