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Friday’s Hot Clicks: It Was Pandemonium in the Streets of Toronto After the Raptors’ Win
Toronto went WILD
After one of the most dramatic games in recent memory, the Raptors are NBA champions. The city of Toronto (and really the whole nation of Canada) threw their support behind the Raps in a big way and everyone was ready to explode when the buzzer finally sounded.
Thousands upon thousands of people descended upon Yonge-Dundas Square in the heart of downtown Toronto to celebrate their country’s first NBA title and the city’s first (non-MLS) championship since the 1993 World Series. The scenes were seriously incredible.
Cole Burston/Getty Images
Cole Burston/Getty Images
Cole Burston/Getty Images
Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
The celebrations were not without incident, though. The windshields of two police cars were destroyed, as was a city bus. (There was also a shooting near where the celebrations took place, but it’s unclear if it was related.)
Cole Burston/Getty Images
Fans also took the streets across the rest of Canada, where the crowds were smaller in numbers but no less enthusiastic.
Klay deserves a ton of credit
Klay Thompson’s return to the court after injuring his knee was a moment that would have gone down in history if this game turned out differently. The way the crowd roared as he emerged from the tunnel was unreal. The fact that he tried to head back on defense after sinking the free throws made it seem like he was going to be okay. That’s what Klay thought, too, telling Steve Kerr he only needed a two-minute rest before he could be back on the court.
But now we know that Thompson won’t be back on the court until February or March, because an MRI conducted late last night confirmed a torn ACL. The Warriors’ luck really ran out quickly.
Nothing goes right at The Trop
A transformer fire in St. Petersburg caused a power outage that impacted much of the city, including Tropicana Field. Play between the Rays and Angels was halted for about a half hour while they waited for the lights to come back on. Since the stadium has a roof, the park was plunged into complete and total darkness. It was unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
The best of SI
Robert Klemko’s story on the Kellen Winslow trial is harrowing. ... These are the five biggest questions of the NBA offseason. ... The Raptors finally climbed the mountain after serving as a stepping stone for so many years.
Around the sports world
A small-town newspaper reporter from Iowa traveled all the way to Toronto to cover Raptors coach Nick Nurse in the NBA Finals. ... A former lacrosse star is transferring to Northwestern to play on a basketball scholarship. ... Shohei Ohtani hit for the cycle, becoming the first Japanese-born player to do so. ... Mets catcher Wilson Ramos found out his wife was pregnant when she held up a sign as he stood in the on-deck circle.
Drake’s reaction to the Klay injury
Klay’s pregame tribute to KD
That spin is absurd
Drinks on Sabbatini
How very Mets
Vladimir Tarasenko’s baby in the Stanley Cup
The other guy is 6'5", 254 lbs.
Give this guy a raise
There are no gimmes in the U.S. Open
This is surprisingly well done
Not sports
Scientists in Siberia discovered the perfectly preserved head of a 40,000-year-old wolf. ... Paula Abdul has apparently lied repeatedly about having survived a plane crash.
Do not offer this chef advice
How is this even possible?
Alex Trebek’s Lil Jon impression
A good song
Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.
