>>> Kawhi Leonard (2014 Spurs) becomes the third player to win the Bill Russell Award as Finals MVP (first given in 1969) for two different teams. Who are the others?
(Answer Below)
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>>> Since June 6, 2018, home teams in the NBA and NHL Finals are a combined 3-13.
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>>> For those of you forelorn that the NBA title has gone to Canada, remember this:
The first game ever played in the Basketball Associated of America (the forerunner to the NBA) was Nov. 1, 1946 . . . New York Knicks (68) at Toronto Huskies (66).
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>>> Wednesday, the St. Louis Blues became the fourth NHL team in the modern era (since 1943-44) to win the Stanley Cup without a previous winner among its players. The others:
1973-74 Philadelphia Flyers
1979-80 New York Islanders
1988-89 Calgary Flames
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>>> As we mentioned Thursday, a Raptors win marks the fifth time the NBA and NHL crowned first-time champions in the same season, but just the second time the leagues did so on consecutive days (2006):
1989: Calgary Flames (May 25) / Detroit Pistons (June 13)
1991: Pittsburgh Penguins (May 25) / Chicago Bulls (June 12)
1999: Dallas Stars (June 19) / San Antonio Spurs (June 25)
2006: Carolina Hurricanes (June 19) / Miami Heat (June 20)
2019: St. Louis Blues (June 12) / Toronto Raptors (June 13)
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>>> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971 Bucks, 1985 Lakers) and LeBron James (2012, ’13 Heat, 2016 Cavaliers) join Leonard as Russell winners with two different teams.