These NBA Finals Have Familiar Ties To The 2014 Finals | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post

These NBA Finals Have Familiar Ties To The 2014 Finals

Some interesting ties from two Finals that are 5 years apart.

13
These NBA Finals Have Familiar Ties To The 2014 Finals

The 2019 Finals have been dominated by the Toronto Raptors up to this point, with them only one game away from hoisting the NBA Championship. More specifically though, these NBA Finals have been dominated by Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors star player. With him dominating the way he has been, many fans can be reminded of Kawhi's last Final's appearance when he destroyed the Miami Heat in 2014 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. However, there is more to compare between those two Finals the just Kawhi's great run of play.

The first big similarity is the teams that are represented in both Finals. Now the Spurs and Raptors don't have too much in common. The Spurs were already an established winning franchise by the time the 2014 Finals began, winning four titles since 1997. The Raptors had never been to the Finals before this season. The two teams that draw a lot of comparisons were the teams Kawhi faced in both series, the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors.

Both the Heat and Warriors came into their respective NBA Finals in search of an illustrious three-peat of championships. The Heat won the 2012-13 Finals, one of them against Kawhi and the Spurs, and the Warriors had won 3 out of the last 4 titles. These teams were the best teams in the NBA, the preseason favorite to win the title, and had the best basketball player on the planet on their team, LeBron James and Kevin Durant for the Heat and Warriors respectively. There was no way they were supposed to lose the Finals. So why did they? That leads us to our next similarity. Kawhi Leonard.

Kawhi Leonard was the best player in each of these Finals. He won the 2014 NBA Finals MVP and is expected to win this year's award if the Raptors do end up winning the championship. While his stats from the '14 Finals weren't quite the same as this years, he was still the difference maker that propelled his team to victory. He was especially a difference maker in the teams' road games, which leads us to the final similarity, how the series played out.

Now this one is hard to do since the Finals this year have no been completed, but up to this point, they are both the same. In 2014, Kawhi and the Spurs split the first two games in San Antonio. Then, against all odds, won two straight games on the road in convincing fashion with the dynasty now one game away from their season and three-peat chances close to ending.

This year, Kawhi and the Raptors split the first two games in Toronto, followed by dominating performances by the Raptors on the road to take a 3-1 series lead, bringing the dynasty that much closer to ending. Seem familiar? These two Finals have so much in common that even the series' is playing out the same. It's not just about one player being in the same Finals on different teams, this player is about to end a dynasty in the same way he did before.

Even if the Raptors can't win game 5 tonight, there are still so many similarities between these two Finals past the last point. The Raptors and Kawhi are so close to achieving history and ending a dynasty, just like Kawhi's Spurs did in 2014.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

193250
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

16670
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

459221
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

27383
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments