A billboard strategically placed near Oracle Arena had warned the Warriors what was coming.

It was a clever New Balance ad that went up ahead of Games 3 and 4 of a stone-faced Kawhi Leonard, arms crossed, alongside the slogan B次元官网网址淭he King of the North is Coming.B次元官网网址�

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He more than lived up to the promise.

The superstar, lovingly dubbed the B次元官网网址淜OTNB次元官网网址� by the mushrooming number of Raptors fans, led Toronto to two wins against the two-time defending champs on their home floor with the chilling demeanour of an assassin.

Then the Raptors flew home Saturday leaving a trail of destruction in the Bay Area.

Now the Raptors can capture their first NBA title in the teamB次元官网网址檚 24-year franchise history and bring the Larry OB次元官网网址橞rien Trophy to Canada for the first time with a victory at home on Monday. Leonard will have orchestrated the stunning end of Golden StateB次元官网网址檚 dynasty. He would be named Finals MVP for his efforts.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not over yet,B次元官网网址� Leonard said after FridayB次元官网网址檚 105-92 victory. B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter until you get that fourth win.B次元官网网址�

Spotted on an Oakland Highway馃憖

B次元官网网址� On The John Sports (@OTJSports)

The 27-year-old, who earned MVP honours in the 2014 Finals with San Antonio, is averaging 30.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in the Finals, and 31.1 points and 9.1 boards over the four playoff rounds.

LeonardB次元官网网址檚 36 points on Friday marked his 14th game of the post-season with 30-plus points. The only other players to reach 14 were Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Hakeem Olajuwon and Allen Iverson.

Jordan and Olajuwon are tied for the most 30-point games with 16.

The statistics are on the RaptorsB次元官网网址� side. Teams that take a 3-1 lead in the Finals have a 33-1 series record B次元官网网址� 97.1 per cent. The only time a team with a 3-1 record did not win the Finals was 2016, when Cleveland rallied to beat Golden State.

FridayB次元官网网址檚 win was a snapshot of LeonardB次元官网网址檚 might. Trailing for most of the first half, he knocked down a pair of three-pointers to start the third quarter before many fans were back in their seats from the break. Nothing special was said at halftime. Leonard would say later that B次元官网网址淚 had faith it was going to turn around.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淜awhi Leonard came out and hit two big eff-you shots to start the half,B次元官网网址� Fred VanVleet said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no defence for that. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no schemes for that. ThatB次元官网网址檚 two big-boy shots.B次元官网网址�

Nurse is never surprised when LeonardB次元官网网址檚 big shots fall.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a really, really good shooter,B次元官网网址� the coach said. B次元官网网址漌hen he vaults up from three with space, youB次元官网网址檙e pretty surprised when it doesnB次元官网网址檛 go in because heB次元官网网址檚 got great mechanics, heB次元官网网址檚 usually got it on line.B次元官网网址�

With his monotone demeanour, Leonard has been portrayed as sub-human in these playoffs. A video of him leaving Norm Powell hanging with an outstretched fist for a knuckle bump had Raptors fans roaring. Cue the cyborg comparisons.

Before Game 4, Warriors star Draymond Green had been asked how one rattles Leonard?

Green prompted laughter when he said B次元官网网址渞attleB次元官网网址� isnB次元官网网址檛 a word in the WarriorsB次元官网网址� scouting report of Leonard.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think youB次元官网网址檙e ever going to rattle Kawhi,B次元官网网址� Green said.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri took a huge risk when he traded away DeMar DeRozan for Leonard after heB次元官网网址檇 played just nine games in San Antonio last season because of a quadriceps injury. His split with the Spurs was messy, he wasnB次元官网网址檛 with the team during the post-season.

Leonard was questioned earlier this week if any lingering backlash from last season would affect his legacy.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never been one of those guys that growing up in high school getting all the media and the college media, so I donB次元官网网址檛 really think my legacy is going to ever reach the potentials of Michael Jordan and how the media followed them since they were a rookie,B次元官网网址� Leonard said.

B次元官网网址淚 just want to play and just let people remember that I played hard at both ends of the floor, I was a winner, and thatB次元官网网址檚 basically it. IB次元官网网址檓 just here enjoying my dream, having fun.B次元官网网址�

ThereB次元官网网址檚 been a groundswell of support for the Raptors in the past few weeks as their historic run is celebrated coast to coast. Hundreds of Raptors fans were at Oracle Arena on Friday night, serenading the players with an impromptu singing of B次元官网网址淥 CanadaB次元官网网址� as they walked off the court. Across the country, fans attended viewing parties. Jurassic Park was nuts.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 awesome,B次元官网网址� Nurse said. B次元官网网址漁ur fans travel really well in the regular season. We get this a lot on the road. ItB次元官网网址檚 really amazing. ItB次元官网网址檚 CanadaB次元官网网址檚 team, and Canadians from all over the country are travelling down and making plans when we play in Florida or California or Detroit especially. You ought to see a Detroit game. ItB次元官网网址檚 really something in there.

B次元官网网址淪urprises me a little in The Finals because I donB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 that easy to get tickets to these games, so our fans are working extra hard and being extra vocal, and we appreciate that.B次元官网网址�

Leonard, whoB次元官网网址檚 lived in Canada for all of 10 months, was asked the impact an NBA championship will have north of the border. He answered in typical deadpan fashion.

B次元官网网址淚 guess you really would have to ask somebody on the street or one of our fans. IB次元官网网址檓 pretty sure itB次元官网网址檚 a long time waiting,B次元官网网址� Leonard said. B次元官网网址漈heyB次元官网网址檙e going to be excited. TheyB次元官网网址檙e already excited just as us just being here for the first time. TheyB次元官网网址檙e going crazy after the Eastern Conference Finals and B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 know, thereB次元官网网址檚 no telling.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l see.B次元官网网址�

Indeed we likely will.

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press

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