The 2019 N.B.A. finals will be a clash of a dynasty and a team that rebuilt itself into a formidable challenger.
The Golden State Warriors are in search of the league’s first three-peat since the Shaquille O’Neal-led Los Angeles Lakers pulled off the feat from 2000 to 2002. The Toronto Raptors, with a suffocating defense led by Kawhi Leonard, represent a significant regime change as the first Eastern Conference champion since 2010 without LeBron James, who made eight consecutive finals appearances in tenures with two different franchises.
Game 1, which tips off Thursday in Toronto shortly after 9 p.