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Raptors ‘Jurassic Park’ in Prince Rupert

Basketball fans show up in numbers for NBA Finals watch party at Civic Centre in Prince Rupert
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Lawrence Brown Sr. and Lawrence Brown Jr. enjoy Game 5 at the Civic Centre. Son went home happier than father on this night, as the Warriors escaped Toronto with a one point victory. (Alex Kurial / The Northern View)

There was a big crowd at the Civic Centre on Monday night, with fans hoping to witness history as the Toronto Raptors looked to close out their NBA Finals series against the Golden State Warriors.

The majority of fans did not see the result they wanted though, as the Raptors came up one shot short in their quest for their first ever championship.

READ MORE: Stayin’ Alive: Warriors edge Raptors to force Game 6 in NBA Finals

If Toronto is able to take Game 6, or a potential Game 7, it will also be the first NBA title to ever come north of the border. That has communities across the country excited for the possibility.

Despite only announcing the event earlier in the day, the Civic Centre crowd saw several dozen people come out to watch. Popcorn and a massive projector screen were the draws, along with the on-court product thousands of kilometres away.

The Raptors had some struggles in the first half, mainly from the three point line, but kept it close at halftime. A third quarter surge by Golden State ran the deficit to double digits, before a push by Toronto set up a thrilling finish.

The Raptors had their chance to close out the game up by six late, but Golden State’s star guard duo of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson went on a personal 9-0 run to swing momentum. Kyle Lowry had a final shot at the buzzer to win the title, but by missing the mark it means fans gathered at watch parties across the country will have to put their title dreams on hold.

Fans remained positive despite the loss however, and will be bringing the same enthusiasm and hopefulness into Game 6 on Thursday. (Alex Kurial / The Northern View)


The Civic Centre will be hosting another viewing party for Game 6 on Thursday night, June 20, and are hoping for an even bigger crowd as Toronto gets a second shot at the championship. The scheduled start time for the game is 6 p.m.


Alex Kurial | Sports Reporter
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