Nestled amid farmland in eastern Ontario, the Raptors viewing party in the small town of Almonte feels extra special — that’s because it’s the hometown of basketball inventor James Naismith. “Everyone is very proud and excited,” says Tiffany MacLaren, the main organizer of the outdoor event, which is attracting about 500 in a town of 5,000. “There’s lots of basketball fever.” Across Canada, fans are gearing up to watch the Toronto Raptors take on the Golden State Warriors on Monday in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena. Almonte, located near Ottawa, has a big basketball culture, including the Naismith Basketball Foundation and a museum dedicated to him. But with the Raptors — Canada’s only NBA team — just one win away from franchise history, the community feels like they’re bringing basketball home.

Source: thestar June 09, 2019 21:22 UTC