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Frequently Asked Questions
How many years have the Raptors been together as a team?
Toronto Raptors is an NBA franchise that is located in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies. The Raptors were the only Canadian-based NBA team when the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001-02.
Toronto Raptors' home games are played at Scotiabank Arena. The city's NHL team also uses the arena, the Maple Leafs. Since their inception in 1921, the Raptors have played in the NBA playoffs thirteen times. Their most recent appearance was in 2021 when they were defeated in six games by the Philadelphia 76ers.
1999-2000 saw the Raptors make their first playoff appearance. Unfortunately, they were swept by division rivals New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
There were not many fans and the team was not exciting. There wasn't anything to root for, nor was there anyone who cared. The team finally decided to change their image after years of mediocrity and made every effort to appeal to the public.
In 2001, the team hired an advertising agency to help create a marketing strategy to bring them national fame. They came up with the slogan "Hear us roar" using creative thinking.
The slogan was created to advertise the fact that all the games had been sold out. All they needed was a catchy phrase and a great logo to go along with it. This is where creative genius shines through. They combined the phrase "hear us roar" with another popular saying, "never say die." This became Toronto Raptors’ official motto.
How was the Toronto Raptors' inaugural year of existence?
The Toronto Raptors first season in the NBA proved to be difficult. Brendan Malone was hired by Isiah Thomas to be the head coach. The team quickly acquired many talented players through drafts and trades. They beat the Chicago Bulls once, but overall finished with a 21 - 61 win-loss record.
In 1996, Toronto drafted Marcus Camby, who became Rookie of the Year and formed part of the starting line-up with Alvin Williams at point guard. Damon Stoudamire was traded later in 1997. Toronto made more roster changes over the years to ensure future success.
Despite all the changes, Toronto struggles through its first few NBA seasons. After a period of transition and rebuilding, Toronto finally made its first playoff appearance in 2000 but lost the series to the New York Knicks.
Why is Toronto Raptors called Raptors
The NBA's expansion to Canada saw the creation of the Toronto Raptors in 1995. The logo and name of the team are based on Jurassic Park, which was released in 1995. The team colours are silver, bright red, purple, and black.
The Raptors finished their first season with a 21-61 record. This was due to the team's inability to find their feet in the league. However, the team improved each year, and by 1999, they had made their first playoff appearance.
The Raptors' most memorable moment in 2019 was when they won their first NBA championship title. Toronto won its first championship under the leadership of Kawhi Leonard (backcourt) and Kyle Lowry (courtside).
Since then, the Raptors are a favourite sports team in Canada. Toronto continues to provide excitement to basketball fans worldwide, whether they are international superstars or homegrown talent.
The Toronto Raptors are proud to be a part of Canada's basketball history. Their success on the court inspires young players across the country. It is clear that the Raptors will be a favorite team for many years due to their loyal fans, innovative play style, and dedication to excellence.
How did the Raptors win in 2019 the NBA title?
The Toronto Raptors made a trade for DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poltl on July 18, 2018. They also traded a 2019 protected draft pick and a DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs.
On February 7, 2019, Jonas Valanciunas (Raptors) and Delon Wright-C.J. Miles, as well as a 2024 2nd-round draft pick to Memphis Grizzlies, were traded by the Raptors for Marc Gasol--another All-Star and former Defender Player of Year--and signed Jeremy Lin shortly following.
The Toronto Raptors had an exciting offseason. They made two major trades that shocked the NBA. DeMar DeRozan was traded first to the Raptors, Jakob Poltl was traded second and a first-round draft pick for 2019 (that was still protected) was sent to San Antonio Spurs. In exchange, they got Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green (Spurs). Then, Jonas Valanciunas was traded to the Spurs in exchange for Delon Wright C. J. Miles, along with a 2024 second-round selection to the Memphis Grizzlies, were traded to Marc Gasol--another All-Star and former Defender of the Year. These moves place the Raptors at the forefront of the race for a NBA title. Let's examine each trade.
The trade for Kawhi Leonard was a risk-reward move for the Raptors. Leonard is a top-5 pick in the league, when healthy, and just finished an MVP-caliber campaign. His injury last season limited him to playing just nine games, and there is concern about his long-term physical health. However, the Raptors decided that the reward was worth the risk and pulled the trigger on the deal. Leonard is healthy so far and has been playing at an All Star level. He is averaging 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists per game while shooting 49% from the field and 38% from three-point range. If he keeps his health good, he could be a key to the Raptors winning the NBA title.
Marc Gasol made a trade for Marc Gasol, but it was a very short-term one. Gasol is now in his 30s and clearly has reached his peak. Yet, he is still a solid player who can bring valuable experience to a young Raptors roster. He averages 15 points and 8 rebounds per game. He also shoots 34% from three point range. C.J. Wright and Delon Wright were young assets the Raptors traded. Miles was acquired by Gasol. However, the Raptors believe his expertise will prove to be valuable during playoffs.
The Raptors began the season strong with a 6-0 win. They broke the franchise record for winning 16 consecutive games, which was set by a record 16-4 record. On November 23, the Raptors won their 24th game against Cleveland Cavaliers. They also reached 20 wins faster than any other time in their history. The Raptors took precautions with Leonard and rested him for more 20 games to avoid worsening the injury. However, they managed to capture 2nd place in East, only trailing behind Milwaukee Bucks.
The Raptors had a great run in the playoffs. They defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks to reach their first NBA Finals. Leonard was named Finals' MVP as the Raptors won the first title against the Golden State Warriors.
The Toronto Raptors had a great offseason. Two All-Stars are on the roster and the Raptors look poised to be contenders in the years ahead. They have proven that they are willing to take risks and make bold moves if it means creating a championship-calibre team. It will be interesting for the future to see how they maintain their success.
Statistics
- By 2018, estimated the Raptors were worth $1.4 billion, 12th in the NBA. (en.wikipedia.org)
- In November of the 1996–97 season, Bitove sold his ownership interest in the team to Slaight for $65 million after Slaight had activated a shotgun clause in their partnership agreement,[32][33] giving Slaight 79 percent control of the team, [34] (en.wikipedia.org)
- This improved during the 2006–07 regular season to an average of 18,258 fans (13th in the league), 92.2 percent capacity at the Air Canada Centre. (en.wikipedia.org)
- As predicted by analysts, the team easily secured a berth in the 2001 NBA playoffs with a franchise-high 47 wins. (en.wikipedia.org)
- After Thomas attempted to execute a letter of intent with Slaight to purchase the team failed, he resigned from his position in November and sold his 9 percent stake in the team to Slaight. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
basketball-reference.com
nba.com/raptors
raptorshq.com
sportingnews.com/ca
How To
How to get from your location to the Toronto Raptors' game
Toronto Raptors games occur at Air Canada Centre (ACC) in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. TTC's subway system can take you to ACC. Union Station takes about 30 minutes to get to ACC. Bay Street station, which is about 30 minutes away from ACC, is the closest station.
If you come to ACC directly from Union Station, you should go through Bay street station. From there, you can follow the signs to ACC. Follow the signs to Bay Street station if you arrive at ACC in another direction.
Follow signs to the ACC starting at Bay Street Station.
The venue is accessible to people with disabilities. There are special seating areas for those who require wheelchair access. In addition, the ACC offers sign language interpretation services.
There is no parking fee at the ACC. Parking is not available on the streets nearby.
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