The Toronto Raptors' title doesn't deserve an asterisk. Most every championship team in recent memory has been the beneficiary of injuries to opponents on its run to the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Considering context of the injuries suffered by the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, though, it's certainly understandable why some league followers deem Toronto's championship less impressive than others.

Shaun Livingston doesn't count himself among that group. Still, the Warriors guard acknowledged that injuries certainly played a major factor in the Finals, telling The Undefeated it felt like Golden State was “dying” on the court.

“We were dying out there to be honest. It's crazy,” he said. “Kevin. Klay. ‘Loon. Dray. No excuses. Give credit to Toronto. Toronto is a good team.”

Kevon Looney sustained a non-displaced cartilage fracture in chest during Game 2, after taking a hard fall to the floor as the result of contesting Kawhi Leonard at the rim. He was out for the game's remainder and didn't play in Game 3, but returned in Game 4 to emerge as the Warriors' most effective center defensively from that point forward. Klay Thompson first went down in Game 2 as well, suffering a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter that also kept him out of Game 3. He returned in Game 4 without missing a beat, but his epic Game 6 performance was cut short in the third quarter when he landed awkwardly following a transition dunk attempt, tearing the ACL in his left knee.

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Kevin Durant, of course, returned in Game 5 after a month-long absence due to a calf strain, scoring 11 points while playing 12 of the first 14 minutes after tipoff. Tragedy struck early in the second quarter when he tried to isolate on Serge Ibaka and immediately came up limp after pushing off on his right leg. It was later revealed he'd ruptured his Achilles tendon.

The Warriors deserve immense credit for fighting like hell in the face of so much injury misfortune. Lesser teams would have buckled. But as Livingston says, Toronto proved itself championship-worthy regardless.