Two ex-Raptors, four Canadians featured in NBA Finals

The Toronto Raptors might be miles away from the NBA Finals, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a bit of representation on the sport’s biggest stage.

While the Raptors themselves are preparing for the upcoming NBA Draft, two teams are left gunning for the league’s ultimate prize.

Tonight, the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics tip off in the 2024 NBA Finals, with Game 1 of the series going down at TD Garden in Massachusetts.

Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk, both of who once occupied roster spots for Toronto, are suiting up for Boston as they look to claim a record 18th NBA title. Brissett has hit the floor in seven playoff games for the Celtics, while Mykhailiuk has played in five this postseason.

Brissett, who played 19 games for Toronto in 2019-20, played three years for the Indiana Pacers before joining Boston this past season. Mykhailiuk, meanwhile, played 56 games for the Raptors in 2021-22 and played for the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets before joining Boston.

But the Celtics duo isn’t the only group of players that Raptors fans might be familiar with.

There are four Canadians in the series, including Brissett himself, who hails from Toronto. On Dallas, there’s former Celtic Dwight Powell (another Toronto native), second-year forward AJ Lawson (also from Toronto), and rookie Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who hails from Montreal.

Of the aforementioned players, Powell has the most extensive resume, having played in 650 games over the course of his career, though he’s mostly been on the outside of Dallas’ rotation, playing just 2.9 minutes a night in 10 playoff contests this year.

Still, perhaps seeing some familiar faces might give Toronto fans a bit of extra motivation as to who to cheer for in the series.

Here’s the full schedule for the 2024 NBA Finals:

• Game 1: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Thursday, June 6 (8:30 pm ET)
• Game 2: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Sunday, June 9 (8 pm ET)
• Game 3: Celtics vs. Mavericks, Wednesday, June 12 (8:30 pm ET)
• Game 4: Celtics vs. Mavericks, Friday, June 14 (8:30 pm ET)
• Game 5: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Monday, June 17 (8:30 pm ET)*
• Game 6: Celtics vs. Mavericks, Thursday, June 20 (8:30 pm ET)*
• Game 7: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Sunday, June 23 (8 pm ET)*

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