The team announced on Twitter it will continue to call Amalie Arena … Giveaways are sometimes bundled with tickets to encourage attendance. Toronto attempted to try for the game-winning shot, but Jefferson intercepted a pass to seal the series for the Nets. Only once did the Raptors reach and win the NBA Finals (2019). The team said in a press release that the new uniform designs were intended to pay tribute to the city of Toronto and to Canada as a whole, noting that the Raptors were the sole Canadian club in the NBA since the Grizzlies' move to Memphis. On November 1, 1946, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, in what was the first game played in NBA history (as the Basketball Association of America). The NBA’s Toronto Raptors are considering playing their upcoming 2020-21 season in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena, according to multiple reports. Beginning in early 2018, in some games, the Raptors use the Welcome Toronto logo, as the Raptors have strong connections with Toronto-based rapper Drake, as well as the 3D Raptors logo. The Toronto Raptors play each team in their division twice during the regular season at Scotiabank Arena. With the exception of Davis and Siakam, these players also made All-NBA teams, while Leonard has also made the All-NBA Defensive team. The Toronto Raptors will spend at least one season in the sunshine, as Tampa’s Amalie Arena will host the 2020-21 season for the NBA’s only Canadian franchise. In the 2017 off-season, the Raptors announced that Toronto-based Sun Life Financial is the jersey sponsor for the Raptors starting in the 2017–18 season.[9]. [159] The 56–26 record became the best Raptors regular season ever, fourth overall in the league and second only to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. Both Christie and Williams became talented players in their own right; Christie developed into one of the elite defenders in the NBA,[56] while Williams improved his play on the offensive end. Masai was fined $25,000 by the NBA for the quote and later apologized for the excessive language. [170] Nick Nurse was promoted to replace Casey as head coach on June 14. PGA TOUR Golf Odds: Betting Insights for The PGA Championship on DraftKings Sportsbook. [19], Initial sentiment was in favour of reviving the Huskies nickname, but team management realized it would be nearly impossible to design a logo that did not substantially resemble that of the Minnesota Timberwolves. [98], The 2005–06 season was not a total disaster. The fear that Leonard would depart after only one season materialised when he signed for the Los Angeles Clippers. Several changes to the roster were made before the 2007–08 campaign as Toronto sought to reproduce the same form as the previous campaign. It’s one of a few options for Masai Ujiri’s squad, and a preference for the NBA because of its close proximity to all of Toronto’s division foes. [16][17][18] The Raptors, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, played their first game on November 3, 1995. Eric and Aaron Williams were supposed to add defensive toughness and rebounding, but were generally under-utilized for the entire season. [60] The team roster was also largely revamped, including the signing of veteran playmaker Mark Jackson on a four-year contract. The Chinese New Year jersey features a stylized rendering of "Toronto" in white traditional Chinese characters (多倫多, Pinyin: Duōlúnduō) with the head of a leftward-facing (viewer's perspective) Chinese dragon replacing the upper half of the first 多 character and the Raptors slashed basketball logo replacing much of the bottom half of the 倫 character. For retro games, the Raptors used the Huskies logo, given that the Raptors are among the newest NBA teams. An introductory commercial was quickly filmed, which featured the manifesto as narration, scenes of local basketball players in various outdoor locations around the city, and ended with a scene displaying a black, waving flag with the motto written on it. After 50 games, Toronto was 25–25 and in a position to make the playoffs, but injuries to key players sent the Raptors plummeting down the standings. [226], In the lead-up to the team's 20th anniversary season in 2015 and its hosting of the 2016 All-Star Game, the Raptors began the process of re-branding itself. The Toronto Raptors will spend at least one season in the sunshine, as Tampa’s Amalie Arena will host the 2020-21 season for the NBA’s only Canadian franchise. [65] Carter was later widely criticized for attending his graduation ceremony at the University of North Carolina on the morning of Game 7, as he scored only 20 points on 6-for-18 shooting after a 39-point performance in Game 6. The Toronto Raptors play one home game against teams in the opposing Western conference teams. Currently, fans are not allowed to attend Toronto Raptors or Tampa Bay Lightning games in person. [39][46][47] This left Slaight with 90 per cent and the Bank of Nova Scotia with 10 per cent. [212] Following the success of the 2006–07 season, Toronto became one of the league leaders in season ticket sales for the 2007–08 season. In 2020, the Raptors went on a 15-game winning streak & set a new record for the longest winning streak by a Canadian-based professional sports franchise. Matt Meiselman ranks the top fantasy baseball plays in each salary range for Wednesday’s main DraftKings MLB slate. [227] In April 2014, the Raptors unveiled a new imaging campaign developed by the agency Sid Lee, "We The North", built around a manifesto that was meant to embrace the team's trait of being an "outsider" from the "north side", and the accompanying feelings of players and fans. [172] The Raptors faced the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2019 playoffs, defeating them in five games. The Toronto Raptors are playing their home games at Amalie Arena until they're cleared to play in Canada again. [1], The team was formalized on November 4, 1993, when the NBA Board of Governors endorsed the decision of Expansion Committee and awarded its 28th franchise to a group headed by Toronto businessman John Bitove for a then-record expansion fee of US$125 million. Due to travel restrictions imposed by the Canadian government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Raptors have been unable to host games in Toronto since March 2020 and have been playing their home games for the 2020–21 season at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The Toronto Raptors kick-off their regular season Wednesday evening against the New Orleans Pelicans. The trend is likely to continue next season as the Raptors could be … Tucker to Raptors for Jared Sullinger", "DeRozan scores franchise-high 52, Raptors beat Bucks 131-127", "Toronto Raptors beat Indiana Pacers to clinch top spot in NBA's Eastern Conference", "Raptors Make History After Being Swept By The Cavaliers", "Dwane Casey Relieved Of Head Coaching Duties", "SPURS OBTAIN DEMAR DEROZAN, JAKOB POELTL AND FIRST ROUND PICK FROM RAPTORS IN EXCHANGE FOR KAWHI LEONARD AND DANNY GREEN", "Kawhi Leonard Spent the NBA Season Hibernating. Now He's Dominating", "Raptors get Gasol from Grizzlies - TSN.ca", "Raptors stop Mavericks for franchise-best start at 6-0", "Kawhi Leonard leads Raptors to win over Wizards", "Leonard leads Raptors to victory over Cavaliers in eighth straight win", "Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards - January 13, 2019", "2019 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Magic vs. Raptors", "Kawhi ousts Sixers with unprecedented shot", "2019 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Raptors vs. This is part of a promotion made by the Raptors' official pizza sponsor. Due to coronavirus restrictions across the border of the United States and Canada, the Raptors have relocated for this entire season to call home the same arena where the NHL's Lightning play. [225] However, beginning in the 2018–19 season, the promotion added an extra requirement of purchasing a first slice before receiving the free second slice, though it requires using the Pizza Pizza mobile app instead of using a Raptors ticket, allowing Raptors fans who did not attend the game to receive a free second slice after purchasing a first slice. Toronto was the more balanced team with Carter, Alvin Williams and Davis providing much of the offensive game and Chris Childs and Jerome Williams on defence. [157] The Raptors added DeMarre Carroll, Cory Joseph, Bismack Biyombo, and Luis Scola via free agency. The Raptors' late-season surge was thus marred by a disappointing playoff exit; the Olajuwon experiment was also a bust, with the 39-year-old averaging career lows in minutes, points and rebounds. On January 30, 2013, the Raptors acquired Memphis Grizzlies star Rudy Gay and centre Hamed Haddadi as well as Pistons player Austin Daye in a three-way deal that sent Calderón to the Detroit Pistons and Davis, along with Pistons veteran Tayshaun Prince and a second round pick to the Grizzlies. In 2003−04, the Raptors introduced a solid red alternate that would become the main road jersey in 2006−07 onward as purple was dropped from the team's colour scheme. On November 1, 1946, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, in what was the first game played in NBA history (as the Basketball Association of America). Colangelo overhauled the team's roster for the 2009–10 season in a bid to persuade pending free agent Bosh to stay, but Bosh departed to sign with the Miami Heat in July 2010, ushering in yet another era of rebuilding for the Raptors. [199] This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams. [59], Still, playoff failures and Butch Carter's media altercations surrounding Camby led Grunwald to replace Carter prior to the 2000–01 season with Lenny Wilkens, a Hall of Fame coach and player with more than 30 years of coaching experience. [193] The Raptors made small changes to their regular home (now called "Association edition") and road (now the "Icon edition") uniforms, as well as their alternate ("Statement edition") uniforms. However, the Huskies folded after the initial 1946–47 season. [45] Anderson refused to report to Toronto and was traded to the Celtics with Žan Tabak and Popeye Jones for Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown, Roy Rogers and John Thomas. Author: Brenton Burkett Published: 6:43 AM EST December 23, 2020 At times, footage from the square is broadcast to the Raptors locker room. The Nets took home court advantage in Game 1, holding off a late Raptors rally in the fourth quarter. ET. The Raptors would respond with a strong Game 3 victory keyed by great point guard play from Ford and José Calderon. The 2002–03 season began with the same optimism that the Raptors exhibited in three consecutive playoff seasons, although it faded early. The team's original colours were purple, bright red, black and "Naismith silver" (in honour of the Canadian inventor of basketball, James Naismith). The Palestra Group was one of several seeking an NBA franchise, with Professional Basketball Franchise (Canada) Inc. (PBF) formally submitting an application for a Toronto-based team on April 23, 1993. The Raptors, who are playing their home games at Amalie Arena for at least the first half of the 2020-21 NBA season because of COVID-19 travel restrictions between Canada and the United States, are also impacted by the decision. Due to Covid-19 travel restrictions between Canada and the United States, the Raptors will start the 2020-21 season playing home games in Tampa, Florida. Through MLSE, the Raptors also operate the Canadian version of NBA TV (formerly known as Raptors NBA TV), which airs reruns of Raptors telecasts along with other news and analysis programs focusing on the team and the rest of the NBA. "[80] Rob Babcock was named general manager on June 7, 2004, alongside the appointments of Wayne Embry as senior advisor and Alex English as director of player development. UPDATE 2:00 p.m.: The Raptors will likely use the JW Marriott as their practice facility during their stay in Tampa. Since the 2001–02 season, the Raptors have been the only Canadian-based team in the league, as the Grizzlies relocated from Vancouver to Memphis, Tennessee. [38] Slaight subsequently acquired the 1 per cent, which had been owned by both Peterson and Granovsky, who had died a year earlier. [166] On March 7, 2018, Toronto became the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot in the 2017–18 season, with a 121–119 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons in Detroit, and set a new franchise record in earliest playoff qualification, doing so in only their 64th game of the season. [152], During the 2014–15 season, the Raptors were off to their best start in franchise history: a then-Eastern Conference-leading 24–8 record by the end of 2014. [153] On March 27, 2015, the Raptors clinched the Atlantic division title with a 94–83 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. [31] The Raptors concluded their inaugural season with a 21–61 win–loss record,[27] although they were one of the few teams to defeat the Chicago Bulls, who set a then all-time NBA best 72–10 win–loss regular season record. Since their inception in 1995, the Raptors have made the playoffs twelve times (2000–2002, 2007, 2008, and 2014–2020), advancing past the first round six times (2001 and 2016–2020). [126], As it turned out, a blockbuster trade was agreed in principle before the 2008–09 campaign: six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal was acquired from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Ford (who had become expendable with the emergence of Calderón), Rasho Nesterović, Maceo Baston, and Roy Hibbert, the 17th pick in the 2008 NBA draft, giving the Raptors a potential boost in the frontcourt. [100] Bosh was also named a reserve forward for the Eastern All-Star Team in the 2006 game,[79] becoming the third Raptor after Vince Carter and Antonio Davis to appear in an All-Star Game. Their winning percentage (73.6 per cent) was the best in franchise history, and the season also saw the elevation of Pascal Siakam to an All-NBA Player and Nurse being named as Coach of the Year. [101] Known for his success in transforming a lottery Phoenix team into a 62-win offensive juggernaut, his hiring gave hope to many fans. The Raptors faced off the Washington Wizards in the first round of the 2018 NBA playoffs, a rematch of the 2015 playoffs. [13] The NBA organized two exhibition games in 1989 and 1992 with an attendance of over 25,000 people each, both in the newly built SkyDome. [63], As predicted by analysts, the team easily secured a berth in the 2001 NBA playoffs with a franchise-high 47 wins. On February 27, 2006, the team named Bryan Colangelo, the 2004–05 NBA Executive of the Year, the president and general manager of the Raptors. [217] This record has since been broken during the Raptors' victorious 2019 playoff run, averaging 7.7 million viewers with a peak of 10 million. TAMPA — The atmosphere inside Amalie Arena on Friday night — with a few thousand fans scattered around the seating bowl for the facility’s … The Raptors hosted the 2016 NBA All-Star Game on February 14, 2016 and its associated weekend for the first time in its history. Nonetheless, the Raptors managed to win 53 games in a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic to secure the second seed. The arena can host both Raptors and Lightning games if the league decides to play in home arenas, something that owners and players both appear to favor. [11] Toronto did not host another NBA game until the 1970s, when the Buffalo Braves played a total of 16 regular season games at Maple Leaf Gardens from 1971 to 1975. [240], The Raptors Foundation was the charitable arm of the Raptors, dedicated to assisting Ontario's registered charities that support programs and sports initiatives for at-risk children and youth. [91] Notwithstanding the unrest, in their first season competing in the Atlantic Division, Toronto maintained the same regular season record of 33–49 as the previous season. It holds a seating capacity of 20,500, but … This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, when the Raptors were given the 4th overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft and brought another star to Toronto in Chris Bosh. The Raptors returned to the playoffs the following year and became a consistent playoff team in every year of Ujiri's tenure. After Vince Carter's annual charity game, Babcock implicitly revealed to the media that Carter's agent had asked for a trade, confirming Carter's discontent. Most notably, the chevrons on the side panels now point up, which the team said aligns with its current slogan of "We The North". [177] They reached the 20-win mark quicker than any time in their history when they won the 24th game of their season on December 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. The four courts are located at Flemingdon Community Centre in the North York district in the north end of the city, Malvern Community Recreation Centre in the Scarborough district in the east end of the city, Matty Eckler Community Centre in the Riverdale neighbourhood of the Old Toronto district just to the east of downtown, and Thistletown Community Centre in the Etobicoke district in the west end of the city. The Toronto Raptors play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Raptors playing their home games in Toronto would be the preferred outcome for everyone involved. Over 2,000 entries were narrowed down to eleven prospects: Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs, Raptors, Scorpions, T-Rex, Tarantulas, Terriers and Towers (the eventual runner-up). [79] However, a season-ending injury to Bosh after the break coincided with Toronto's descent down the standings from the fifth seed to the eighth, and they ultimately relinquished their spot to Chicago a few games before the regular season ended.[141]. [47][51] MLSE paid a reported $467 million, made up of $179 million for the team and $288 million for the arena. Also the host hotel for Super Bowl LV. [96] With media scrutiny intensifying once more and the Raptors entrenched at the bottom of the league in defensive field goal percentage,[97] CEO Richard Peddie fired Babcock. [163] The Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals and became champions. The Raptors won the division final but then faced the Nets in the opening round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs. Davis quickly entered the Raptors starting lineup and he would develop into an All-Star in the coming years. TAMPA, Fla. - For the first time in nine months, fans will head inside Amalie Arena. The season was shortened by 16 regular season games due to the 2011 NBA lockout, and the Raptors finished the season with a 23–43 record. In the closing seconds of Game 7 with the game tied, Leonard hit the game-winning 15-foot buzzer-beater to lift the Raptors to a 92–90 victory—the first Game 7 buzzer-beater in NBA playoff history. [214] Public watchings of the Raptors games, particularly during the playoffs, started being held in 2014 at Maple Leaf Square, which the fans nicknamed "Jurassic Park". In addition, the Raptors and OVO also announced a donation of $1 million over the next three years in order to refurbish four community basketball courts within Toronto city limits. New coach Butch Carter was also credited with much of the team's turnaround during the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season. List of the last five seasons completed by the Raptors. [58] Overall, the Raptors concluded the season with a 45–37 record. [232] In addition to the Welcome Toronto home games, it was also announced that the Raptors and OVO would donate $1 million in order to refurbish local community basketball courts, as well as another $2 million to Canada Basketball.[233]. The season was also the first full year played at the Air Canada Centre, after having played four years at the cavernous SkyDome, which was better suited to baseball and Canadian football. [78] The notable individual season performances were Carter's 22.5 ppg, Marshall's 10.7 rpg, and rookie Bosh, a 6–10 forward-centre, averaging 11.5 ppg and 7.4 rpg and being named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. This will preclude the NHL from using Tampa as a “hub city” for the upcoming regular season, as local officials have stated hosting both the NBA and NHL in the same building would be unsustainable during a pandemic. [234] The rivalry began to heat up as the two teams faced each other in the opening round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, with the Nets winning the series, 4–2, after a go-ahead shot by Richard Jefferson with 8 seconds left in Game 6 ensuring a 98–97 defeat for the Raptors. [139] While the Raptors were off to a sluggish start, they picked up the pace around the All-Star break, reaching a season-high seven games above .500 and standing fifth in the Eastern Conference. Fantasy Baseball Rankings: DraftKings MLB DFS Picks for May 19. The Raptors were in town last week looking for a practice facility, Tampa as a “hub city” for the upcoming regular season, Best MLB team stacks for DFS on Wednesday, May 19th, Best player props bets for Lakers vs. Warriors in NBA play-in tournament, Rays place Luis Patino on 10-day injured list. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends. The Raptors faced the Nets in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2007, when the Nets were located in New Jersey. [182] The Warriors, which were making their fifth consecutive finals appearance and featured multiple All-Stars, were favourites to win. [196], Other jerseys worn by the Raptors include a green uniform worn from the 2007−08 season through to the 2011−12 season on St. Patrick's Day.[197]. The Foundation strove to lift spirits and change lives for young people by supporting local and provincial organizations that provide recreational, educational and other youth-oriented activities. [232][233], Professional basketball team based in Toronto, Canada, Jorge Garbajosa (left) and Chris Bosh (right) during the, 1999–2002: Success during the Vince Carter era, 2013–present: Masai Ujiri era and prolonged success, 2018–2019: First championship season with Kawhi Leonard, 2019–present: Pandemic-shortened seasons and Tampa relocation. [154] On April 11, 2015, the Raptors beat the Miami Heat, Toronto's first road win over the Heat since November 19, 2008, ending a ten-game slide on Miami's home floor. After Carter left, Chris Bosh emerged as the team leader. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. In a response on Twitter, Drake distanced himself from the "execution" of the new logo. Championship", "Toronto Raptors Are Kings Of The NBA And The Toast Of Canada", "Toronto Raptors to play home games in Tampa to open NBA season", "What We Know About the Toronto Raptors COVID-19 Issues", "Raptors Game Postponed Due To Health & Safety Reasons", "Detroit Pistons use red-hot shooting to cruise past shorthanded Toronto Raptors", "Raptors remain severely short-handed as team readies for Celtics", "Nike and the NBA Reveal the First of the League's 2017-18 Game Uniforms", "Raptors Announce Hardwood Classics Schedule and Unveil Huskies Uniform", "Raptors unveil their incredible Toronto Huskies throwback court", "Toronto Huskies & Chinese New Year Uniforms", "Raptors News: Toronto Unveils St. Patrick's Day Jerseys", "Raptors Host Annual Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation Night", "NBA Salary Cap FAQ – 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement", "Toronto Raptors promote Bobby Webster to GM - NBA.com", "McGrady, Self, Lobo headline 2017 HOF class", "Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh and Chris Webber headline 2021 Hall of Fame class", "Raptors sign senior advisor Embry to extension", https://ca.nba.com/news/toronto-raptors-win-streak-franchise-record-canadian-professional-record-nba-nhl-mlb-cfl/er7ja23njty161mynm0klm9b, "Raptors putting on a show – who's watching? Although the team did not make the playoffs, many were optimistic with the impressive performances of Rookie of the Year Carter[55] and a much improved McGrady. Conversely, Bender would only play nine seasons and would be out of the league by age 29. Amalie Arena has hosted many NCAA Basketball Tournament regionals, and was just awarded the Women’s Final Four for the fourth time last month. The six Welcome Toronto home games also featured an OVO-themed black and gold home court, with chevrons pointing north. [1] The team's roster was then filled as a result of an expansion draft in 1995. We will no longer have fans at upcoming @TBLightning and @Raptors home games due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. The Raptors won their first ever playoff series as they defeated New York 3–2, advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time in franchise history. [146] Bosh's first return to Toronto was received to a chorus of boos, but not as nearly as harsh as what former Raptors Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter received upon their respective returns. [112] Colangelo, Gherardini and Mitchell were credited with Toronto's turnaround this season,[113] which was one of the best in NBA history in terms of league standing and defensive ranking. [12], Interest to move or expand an NBA franchise to Toronto grew during the late-1980s; with former NBA commissioner David Stern later describing the expansion to Toronto as a "safe step," given the market size and the likelihood of success in the city. [242], In 2018, the Raptors, in partnership with Drake, announced the Welcome Toronto program. The 2012–13 season was the first season since 2009–10 that the Raptors finished the season with a winning home record (21–20), despite their overall losing record (34–48). [87], The Raptors continued to rebuild during the 2005 NBA draft, selecting Charlie Villanueva, Joey Graham, Roko Ukić and Uroš Slokar, with Villanueva's selection being very controversial amongst basketball pundits and Raptors fans alike. [178] On January 13, 2019, the Toronto Raptors broke the record for most points scored in franchise history after beating the Washington Wizards in Washington 140–138 points after double overtime. [107] After the All-Star break, Bargnani continued to work on his defence and shooting (averaging 14.3 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game in 12 games for the month of February 2007), and he was selected as the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for the second straight time on March 1, 2007. [70] However, they were able to win 12 of their last 14 games, clinching a playoff spot on the last day of the regular season. [171] Leonard was a two-time All-Star and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, but owing to the short length of his contract, there was uncertainty over his longer-term future with the franchise. [184] In doing so, the Raptors became the first non-American team to win the NBA title (and the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy) and the first non-American team to win a championship in any of the four major North American sports leagues since the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993, ending a 25-year-long drought from Canada-based major professional sports teams.[185]. Canadian country singer Shania Twain helped launch the new red Raptors alternate road uniform at the start of the 2003–04 season,[78] and the jerseys made their debut in a 90–87 season-opening victory on October 29, 2003 against the defending Conference Champion New Jersey Nets. [136] Around the same time, Parker headed for the Cleveland Cavaliers,[137] while Indiana point guard Jarrett Jack was added and Nesterovič brought back to provide cover for the big men. [55] Carter then suffered a bout of patellar tendinitis (also known as "jumper's knee"),[71] forcing him to miss the All-Star game and the rest of the season,[70] and without their franchise player, Toronto lost 13 consecutive games.
St Louis Cardinals Wild Card,
Darwin Houses On Stilts,
Viva Fashion Usa,
Tyro Payments Stock,
San Jose Goalies 2021,
Population Of Paris In 1600,