“This,” Silver said, “is a homecoming of sorts for basketball in Canada.”

A homecoming because the finals are in Toronto — and in Canada — for the first time, with the Raptors taking on the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors.

I’m Scott Cacciola, an N.B.A. reporter for The Times. Since coming on board in 2013, I’ve been casually (and sometimes not so casually) watching the growth of basketball in Canada. It’s become hugely popular thanks to a number of factors: more opportunities for children to play the game, an international push made by the league, the fact that virtually anyone with an internet connection can watch N.B.A. games anytime they want. The game has gone global, and Toronto has become something of a basketball hub.

It’s gotten to the point where more top N.B.A. draft picks are coming out of Toronto than nearly any other North American city.

Not to be overlooked, though, is the impact of the Raptors themselves, who arrived on the scene in 1995 and have slowly built a huge following that ranges from Nav Bhatia, a car salesman and self-described Raptors “Superfan” whom I profiled a couple of seasons ago, to the rapper Drake. In addition to sitting courtside for games at Scotiabank Arena, where he regularly gets under the skin of opponents, Drake even has an official role with the organization: global ambassador.