To gear up for the NBA playoffs, the For the Win staff is sharing our favorite things about all of the teams that made the postseason. Up next, the Toronto Raptors.
8 awesome things about other NBA playoff teams: Heat | Pacers | Raptors | Nets | Hawks | Warriors | Trail Blazers | Rockets
1. The Raptors are bringing back their incredible dinosaur jerseys for select games next season
USA TODAY Sports
They won’t have them for this year’s playoffs, but the classic look the franchise debuted with will be on display in select games next season, which is the 20th year of the franchise’s existence.
2) Amir Johnson has become Toronto’s favorite son
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
As Sports on Earth detailed earlier this week, the Los Angeles-born forward has embraced his role in the city, dying the team’s red logo into the back of his head, cheering for the Maple Leafs while decked out in a replica jersey behind the team’s bench and even appearing as a guest judge on Top Chef Canada.
3) The Raptors inspire strong feelings among rappers
In hometown product Drake, who the team honored with his own night in January, it’s a large amount of local pride. Several months earlier, Amir Johnson bought out the stock of Drake’s latest album in two stores and gave them out to fans.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)
Raptors announcer Matt Devlin was not as cozy with D.C. rapper Wale during a February 2013 road game against the Wizards. After Devlin said the rapper was “no Drake” on air, Wale threatened Devlin on Twitter, then tried to approach the broadcast booth.
4) Terrence Ross’ amazing hops
The 6-foot-6 guard won the 2013 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest then returned as a member of the victorious Team East in this season’s reformatted competition. But the best jam of his life may have occurred in a January game at Denver, when he did this to Kenneth Faried.
5) Just getting to the playoffs is a big deal for the Raptors
Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Raptors have existed for 19 NBA seasons, but this is just the sixth time the team has even made the Eastern Conference playoffs. They’ve only advanced beyond the first round once in franchise history. If they can somehow engineer to run to the semifinals or even beyond, there could be a basketball frenzy north of border unlike ever before.
6) The Raptor is back in time for the playoffs
The team’s beloved mascot blew out his Achilles while attempting a backflip at a Halifax school during the preseason. The injury kept him out of action for most of the regular season, finally returning late last month after five and a half months of grueling rehab.
The return actually made the front page of the Toronto Star.
7. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan turned into one of the best backcourts in the league
USA TODAY Sports Images
Who saw this coming? Lowry was thought of as a good-not-great point guard and DeRozan was considered a selfish gunner who took dumb shots and was bad for the team. The two both figured it out this year, with Lowry having his best statistical season by a mile and DeRozan playing more efficiently than ever before.
8. Morpheus believes the Matrix is all around the Raptors
https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/427260226727727104/
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