Because the first Finals game in Raptors franchise history was also the first Finals game to be played in Canada, Thursday’s Game 1 also featured the first performance of O Canada at an NBA Finals game.
Boy, did the crowd ever deliver in the moment.
It was an absolute electrifying moment, not just for Raptors fans in the building but for Canadians at large, and even the American audience took notice.
Specifically, Warriors coach Steve Kerr offered high praise for the atmosphere, saying it was “one of the coolest things” he had ever been a part of with the crowd joining in.
This is just one of the moments where being in the Finals is bigger than basketball, for the city of Toronto and the country at large.
Of course, the actual basketball being played turned out pretty well too, with the Raptors taking Game 1 to go ahead in the Finals.
