NBA Finals 2019: Dates and ABC Tipoff Times Schedule for Warriors vs. Raptors

The storylines for the 2019 NBA Finals are almost endless.

Will Kevin Durant make it back from his calf strain, or has he perhaps already played his last game for the Golden State Warriors? Has Kawhi Leonard made the Toronto Raptors a team of destiny in their first trip to the championship round? Can the Dubs join the Association's exclusive group of three-peaters?

With loads of talent on either side, the list of potential MVP candidates is just as abundant. We'll break down our three favorites after laying out the series schedule below.

2019 NBA Finals Schedule

Game 1: Thursday, May 30, Warriors at Raptors, 9 p.m. ET on ABC

Game 2: Sunday, June 2, Warriors at Raptors, 8 p.m. ET on ABC

Game 3: Wednesday, June 5, Raptors at Warriors, 9 p.m. ET on ABC

Game 4: Friday, June 7, Raptors at Warriors, 9 p.m. ET on ABC

*Game 5: Monday, June 10, Warriors at Raptors, 9 p.m. ET on ABC

*Game 6: Thursday, June 13, Raptors at Warriors, 9 p.m. ET on ABC

*Game 7: Sunday, June 16, Warriors at Raptors, 8 p.m. ET on ABC

*if necessary

Top Finals MVP Candidates

Stephen Curry

The sharpshooter has already compiled a Hall of Fame-caliber resume over his first 10 NBA seasons. Among his many accomplishments, he has a pair of regular-season MVP awards (including the only unanimous selection) and four of the six highest three-point totals of all time.

But as his championship-ring collection grows, his lack of a Finals MVP grows more noticeable. With Durant on the shelf, Curry's path to the hardware looks clear as ever, though he says that's not where his focus lies.

"It's a special award that everybody wants to get, including myself," Curry told reporters. "But at the end of the day, the first thing I do is look up and see, 'Did you win or lose?' That's like secondary to that you win or you lose. Probably even way down the list."

Oddsmakers think the stars are aligning in Curry's favor. The Warriors are favored in this series, and he's the favorite to take home MVP honors.

Given his current groove, it's easy to see why he's the front-runner. His sprint through the Western Conference finals was a masterclass in volume and efficiency. Over the four-game sweep, he averaged 36.5 points on 46.9 percent shooting (42.6 percent from range), 8.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists.

Kawhi Leonard

It says a ton about Leonard's talent that he's the second-most popular MVP pick in a series his team isn't tabbed to win.

Granted, a Raptors' win is a requirement for him to take the hardware—Jerry West is the only Finals MVP to come from the losing side (1969)—but if that happens, it will almost certainly happen because Leonard has gone supernova.

That pretty accurately describes his playoff run to date. Over 18 games, he's averaged 31.2 points on 50.7 percent shooting (38.8 from deep), 8.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals. He also delivered a literal shot for the ages with the first Game 7 buzzer-beater in NBA history:

Leonard's narrative argument would be strong, too. He'll not only get a massive boost for being the first player to bring the championship trophy north of the border, but he also figures to spend a ton of time defending Golden State's stars, perhaps getting Curry and Klay Thompson early and then handling the Durant assignment if/when he makes it back.

Draymond Green

If they gave out conference finals MVP awards, Green might've been the West's recipient, which should be an absurd thing to say given Curry's aforementioned dominance.

But Green became the embodiment of always being in the right place at the right time. He somehow both protected the rim and disrupted the passing lanes. He was a defensive anchor but also the primary offensive initiator, and he kept making smart decisions as both a table-setter and opportunistic scorer.

All told, his series contributions were bountiful and brilliant. He averaged 16.5 points on 54.2 percent shooting, 11.8 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 2.8 blocks and 2.2 steals.

"He's playing with force; he's playing with discipline; he's playing under control," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "He's not letting anything bother him: officiating, bad shots, turnovers. He's just moving on to the next play. From that standpoint, it's as good as he's ever been."

Green could have a big share of the spotlight on both ends. If the Raptors sell out on stopping Curry, Green is the primary safety valve. He'll also handle defensive assignments from Kyle Lowry to Marc Gasol and everything in between.

If Golden State makes quick work of Toronto without Durant at 100 percent, Green will surely have a major say in that success.