There’s no way around it, being stripped of watching these Toronto Raptors has been rough. Kyle Lowry leading from the front playing at an All-NBA level, Pascal Siakam making the transition from MIP to The Guy, Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka making noise in a contract year, the list is truly endless.
No one expected the Raptors to be right in the thick of things contention-wise, but second place in the East behind the Milwaukee Bucks and the third-best record in the league overall has given them and the Raptors fan base plenty to flex about. Whether or not this season is over, these Raptors already proved they’re well worth remembering. Here are the 10 most memorable games of the season.
10. Dec. 1: 24 Minutes of Perfection
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Nurse called it the best half of basketball they’ve played all season, and maybe even going back to last season. You had to see it to believe it. With Lowry still out and Ibaka playing his first game since being out with an ankle injury, the Raptors were supposed to be in tough against one of the best defences in the league, spearheaded by Rudy Gobert.
Instead, Gasol first forced Gobert out of the paint by nailing three after three, then everyone else joined the party and the score read an ungodly 77-37 at halftime. And yes, that was a franchise-record halftime lead.
9. Nov. 11: Raptors Force Kawhi Leonard Into Career-Worst Nine Turnovers
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I know, the Raptors lost this game. Still, this was one of those defeats that left you immensely proud of the team’s compete level. On the second night of a back-to-back, the emotion of going up against Kawhi Leonard for the first time, losing OG Anunoby inside the first couple minutes, Toronto was right there until the final minute.
While the team struggled for offence, they put on a defensive clinic for the most part and served up the clamps on Leonard especially well. The two-time Finals MVP was held to 2-of-11 shooting from the field and had a career-high nine turnovers. Toronto’s length suffocated Leonard with pressure on every pick-and-roll and then swarmed over to pick off any attempted passes. We talk about the Raptors’ championship defence a lot, and a loss does nothing to take away from just how special this performance was.
Also, Boucher’s rejection on Montrezl Harrell was one for the ages! Not to be missed, Serge Ibaka wearing a scarf.
8. Jan. 12: DeMar DeRozan Gets His Toronto Win
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A second loss makes the list, but is Mr. I Am Toronto’s first win in the city since being traded for Leonard really a loss?
The Raptors led by as many as 18, but DeRozan making a poster out of Boucher completely swung the momentum.
I mean, Boucher looks like he just saw a ghost after the dunk. DeRozan himself was magnificent in inspiring the comeback with 25 points on 12 shots in what was ultimately a thrilling 105-104 victory. Oh, and of course there was another DeRozan tribute and standing ovation.
7. Mar. 9: The Last Game… For Now
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The injury list this time boasted Gasol, VanVleet, and Powell after just a couple minutes, but it was no problem for these Raptors.
In what is always a hostile environment in Utah, Toronto scratched and clawed their way through this one before Siakam and Lowry took over to wrap up matters in the fourth. Between Anunoby’s scrap with Gobert and Lowry’s ridiculously deep dagger, there’s plenty to reminisce over what now stands as the final game of the season.
6. Dec. 28: The Real Christmas Game
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Much was made of Toronto’s first Christmas game since 2001, but they dropped that in a dud to the Celtics. They wouldn’t have to wait long for revenge, though, travelling to Boston just a few days later with the bitterness of that loss on their home floor. Needing a win to keep what may still be a crucial tie-breaker alive, Toronto came through.
The alternative title here is clearly The Patrick McCaw game. Easily his best night as a Raptor, Patrick McCaw was sensational with 18 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds.
Lowry was certainly the best player on the floor with his 30-point night, but if there was one game that pointed to what Nurse sees in McCaw, it was this. Mississauga native Oshae Brissett had some fun moments, too.
5. Nov. 25: Marc Gasol, Raptors Hold Joel Embiid to ZERO points
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Another game where Toronto would have had readymade excuses if they fell in a crucial division matchup. This was the first time Joel Embiid and the Sixers were returning to the scene of that Game 7 crime and the Raptors were intent on making sure there were new tears to cry.
Gasol’s value since joining the Raptors is impossible to qualify, he effectively Lowry at centre—without the same scoring prowess. The little things he does on the offensive end to help keep the ball moving and the team in a flow as well as his ability to orchestrate the defence whether it’s at the front of it when he’s showing high for a pick-and-roll or at the back of it and directing traffic, his impact on Toronto’s ceiling has been immeasurable.
Nights like this one, where he’s holding one of the best centres in the league to zero points, barely allowing him to get a shot off in comfort, and almost beating him into submission, highlight exactly why he still remains one of the best defensive centres in the league.
4. Feb. 5: Epic Comeback Brings New Franchise-Record Win Streak
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The Raptors had never won more than 11 in a row before, and trailing by 11 with under three minutes to play, Win No. 12 looked extremely unlikely. But as has been the theme all season, this team never lets go of the rope and just keeps coming right at you.
Siakam, Lowry, and Ibaka combined to score all 37 of Toronto’s fourth-quarter points to spark one of the most thrilling comebacks of the season.
3. Dec. 22: Raptors Come Back From THIRTY Down to Beat Mavs
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At first, it looked like a Saturday night in Toronto was going to spell doom for Dallas before the game had well and truly began. The Mavericks scoring just six points in the first nine minutes of the game, the Raptors jumped out to an early lead in this Sunday matinee game.
It was all Dallas after that, as Kristaps Porzingis, Dwight Powell, and company sliced the Raptors’ defence to shreds and Toronto just couldn’t muster the offence to keep up. Trailing by 30 with 2:32 remaining in the third quarter, the Raptors looked dead and buried.
But then Lowry hit a three, barked out defensive instructions and forced his team to stay engaged. Nurse threw in a full-court press and that seemed to throw out any semblance of calm the Mavs had to that point. Completely bamboozled by the press, Dallas turned the ball over, rushed shots and the Raptors’ defence created easy scoring opportunities.
Finishing with 32 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds and some LOUD “Lowry” chants, this is a game that will be remembered as one of his all-time greatest hits.
2. Nov. 10: Raptors Stun LeBron James’ Lakers Without Lowry and Ibaka
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This game was supposed to be a write-off. No Lowry, no Ibaka, and a bench that hadn’t even come close to earning head coach Nick Nurse’s trust yet. Going up against LeBron James and Anthony Davis at Staples Centre, the Raptors were staring defeat in the face.
Instead, we saw the first signs that this team now had the heart of a champion, and that it was never to be underestimated. Boy were there some highlights, too: Siakam crossing up Davis and finishing with a sweet lay-in, Nurse winning his first coach’s challenge, and Chris Boucher rejecting both Davis and James.
Arguably the Raptors’ most impressive win of the season, especially when you consider LeBron pointing out after the game that despite a couple of key players leaving over the summer, this team still has championship DNA.
1. Oct. 22: Raptors Raise Championship Banner Against Pelicans
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Nothing will beat seeing that championship banner for the first time. I mean, how do you top the night the Raptors received their championship rings and celebrated the title with their fans in the arena for the first time after closing out Oracle Arena in Oakland? You can’t. From Norman Powell and Serge Ibaka throwing in a couple dances, to Kyle Lowry’s speech, to the unveiling of the championship banner that will live on forever, there were enough memorable moments to last a lifetime.
Oh, and the game wasn’t too shabby, either. Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet sent a clear statement that they were ready to start a new era for the Raptors franchise, combining for 68 points in an eight-point overtime victory.
