In the final, dramatic quarter of a memorable run to an NBA championship, the Raptors went away from form.
On a team anchored by the singular talents of Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard, it was the unheralded duo of young Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam that coach Nick Nurse turned to, putting them in a two-man game that flummoxed the Golden State Warriors enough that the Raptors capped a delightful season with the first title in franchise history.
The roles of VanVleet and Siakam have changed dramatically since that June 2019 night — they are now Toronto’s best and most important players — but they remain the duo that could very well lead the Raptors to a series win over the Philadelphia 76ers.