What's your favourite Raptors' team (besides 2019)?

[SpiderMunn]

Is that the BBQ era? or bench mob.

Demar, Amir, Weems era.

I still remember Amir cutting Raptors logo into his hair when rumors of him being traded came out.

Good times

[JN]

The 2019/2020 Raptors were a joy to watch during the Regular Season. I don't think anybody expected that to be a 57-58 win type team (which they were before the season stalled)

To me it was also the height of what Masai had done. Quality veterans, bunch of players that were recently drafted (within 4 years) that were in the rotation.

Siakam was great those first 20-25 games, and his breakout was so great to watch. He then slowed down, but the team kept chugging along - Gasol was great in his final 20 games or so of the season.

Would have liked to have seen what that team could have done if the season continued without a break. Siakam obviously was not good in the bubble, and Gasol was largely burnt in the bubble. I always wonder if Gasol had caught Covid in that break, as we know the early Covid strain tended to have much tougher lingering impacts.

[Westside Gunn]

2000-2001 Vince team
2006-2007 Raptors team

Vince and the vets that surrounded him was a beauty to watch. A lot of kids at the park at the time were trying to reproduce that miss by Vince. Keon was a beast. JYD made it entertaining. Was sad to see Muggsy get traded.

06-07 was another beauty, with all that ball movement and 100 shats offense. Bosh's rise to stardom and oddly enough our first playoff series since Detroit. Having Garbo felt good. Fords chemistry with Rasho. And that smooth shooting from Parker. The best acc crowd ever.

[gerrit4]

It's hard to pick.

The year before the championship (bench mob) was really fun. A team that was super deep, and had some really nice young talent as well.

The defending year was a really good team too, although it's too bad the pandemic screwed it up.

As someone who became a big fan in 2004, 06-07 was a special one to me because it was the first really fun Raptor team I watched that actually won.

2013-2014 was a special one as well, as it started so poorly and the team really became something special after the Rudy trade.

[rapsfanz420]

The 2015-16 team that lost to the Cavs in the Eastern Finals.

[SFour]

The 19-20 season after the championship was pretty good....that team was ECF/finals caliber if Siakam didn't perform well below average in the Celtics series. We'll never know how different that playoff run could've looked like if covid never happened....if there was a game 7 it would've been in Toronto.

[Potential]

Watch on YouTube

I remember watching this live

For me it's the 2016 season where we bounced back in a big way after being swept by the wizards. That ecf run was fun. Tying the series at 2-2 in the ecf against the champs was an unreal feeling

[kalel123]

The year that Bismack Biyombo was around or the year after. Balance of having a sustained winning core and some semblance of improvement and way forward. Did not enjoy the last few years before 2019 championship. Limitations of the core at the time had become crystal clear at the time but the team was trying to plug away at it, hanging onto that core to the very last minute. Kinda similar to what they did last season; difference being Lowry-DeRozan core was at least a perennial playoff team and they eventually ran into a Kawhi Leonard trade.

[___Rand___]

The 19-20 season after the championship was pretty good....that team was ECF/finals caliber if Siakam didn't perform well below average in the Celtics series. We'll never know how different that playoff run could've looked like if covid never happened....if there was a game 7 it would've been in Toronto.

We were down what. 2 or 3 points to the Celtics with 15 seconds to play. Nurse gave an ISO to Fred VanBrick who missed the 3. I couldn't believe that one.

[MEDIC]

1999/2000

PG Christie - Mugsy - Dee
SG VC - Alvin
SF TMac - Curry
PF Oakley
C AD - Willis.

This might be my all time Fave team.

[BBS22]

01/02 team. Without Vince, very little offensive punch, still took Detroit to 5 games in 1st round, losing by 1 possession in game 5. Team had heart, played physically, and had that team mindset. Such a contrast to teams in NBA these days.

Loved this team. So many ups and downs. Alvin Williams, JYD, Mopete solid role players stepping up. AD getting on the mic end of the season: "everyone is saying we can't win without our superstar..."

Like we all knew it was true but we were all hoping that with Carter that team could take a leap next year. Maybe I was just young at the time but really thought they could do it. I remember the LeBron hype around them and talk of maybe pairing him with VC. Oh well.

[Psubs]

1999/2000

PG Christie - Mugsy - Dee
SG VC - Alvin
SF TMac - Curry
PF Oakley
C AD - Willis.

This might be my all time Fave team.

We were advanced with have Doug Christie expend energy as a POA defender. VC and Oakley distributing. Bench creators and Dell Curry sniper.

T-WHACK!!!! If only they implemented the right to match with a QO after the rookie contract.

[Psubs]

01/02 team. Without Vince, very little offensive punch, still took Detroit to 5 games in 1st round, losing by 1 possession in game 5. Team had heart, played physically, and had that team mindset. Such a contrast to teams in NBA these days.

Loved this team. So many ups and downs. Alvin Williams, JYD, Mopete solid role players stepping up. AD getting on the mic end of the season: "everyone is saying we can't win without our superstar..."

Like we all knew it was true but we were all hoping that with Carter that team could take a leap next year. Maybe I was just young at the time but really thought they could do it. I remember the LeBron hype around them and talk of maybe pairing him with VC. Oh well.

Oh man, imagine the highlights with Lebron and VC on the same team?!?!?!?

[TheGeneral99]

For me it's two other seasons:

1) 2015-2016:

Lowry and Derozan became perennial all-stars and one of the best duo's in the league. Lowry specifically reached his peak losing that weight, getting in shape, and just becoming a monster with that extra conditioning. Masai added some solid two-way players around them. That team won 56 teams and finally got over the hump, making the conference finals and pushing the eventual champion super team Cavaliers to 6 games. That team never gets enough credit for what they accomplished.


2) 2019-2020

We lost Kawhi but this was still a well oiled machine with Lowry still in his prime, Gasol and Ibaka with play left in the tank, and Siakam, Fred, and OG ascending into really damn good players.

Our team was literally on pace for like 62 wins and were dominant, going for the longest win streak in franchise history.

I really believe that had COVID-19 not happened team would have made the finals and we won would have been a really tough match-up for LA because we had the size to slow down AD. After the COVID lay-off, Siakam wasn't in shape and Gasol just wasn't the same.


Of course the 2000 and 2001 seasons during peak Vinsanity were electric, but I preferred the Lowry-Derozan era.

[right between the eyes]

Other than the teams that have already been mentioned, I enjoyed the year where we traded Rudy Gay and then went on a huge run. It was great as our success was completely unexpected. John Salmons, Patman and Chuck Hayes baby!!

[metafisical]

Other than 2018-19 championship team, my favourite reams were those that tanked (intentionally and unintentionally). There is something that makes me proud of watching our team tank for a good drafting position.

[TheGeneral99]

The year that Bismack Biyombo was around or the year after. Balance of having a sustained winning core and some semblance of improvement and way forward. Did not enjoy the last few years before 2019 championship. Limitations of the core at the time had become crystal clear at the time but the team was trying to plug away at it, hanging onto that core to the very last minute. Kinda similar to what they did last season; difference being Lowry-DeRozan core was at least a perennial playoff team and they eventually ran into a Kawhi Leonard trade.

I disagree entirely.

The 2017-2018 actually felt like added life with how good the bench was. You could tell that Fred, Siakam and Poeltl were going to be really good players, but we weren't sure how good yet. That team was just stacked at every position and incredibly deep.

The issue was Casey who stupidly continued to play heavy big line-ups with JV and Ibaka together and failing to make proper adjustments. I really believe that had Nurse coached some of the rosters he have would maximized that talent better. No way we should have lost to that 2018 Cavaliers team without Kyrie.

[6ixset]

The 2015-2016 team is still my fave. Yes nothing beats winning a Ship in 2019, and yes those losses in the ECF were ALL blowouts but man did I love the journey.

Going 7 in round 1 and 2. The steal and breakaway dunk by Norman I'll still watch on YouTube. Bismack's coming out party was awesome. I think it was the unknown after the previous year sweep, didn't know what to expect. Felt like I went to a restaurant/bar or jurassic park for almost every game, maybe that's why too. Didn't do that during the Ship year lol. It was just a fun team, fun run. And the crowd giving the team a good send off.

[kalel123]

The year that Bismack Biyombo was around or the year after. Balance of having a sustained winning core and some semblance of improvement and way forward. Did not enjoy the last few years before 2019 championship. Limitations of the core at the time had become crystal clear at the time but the team was trying to plug away at it, hanging onto that core to the very last minute. Kinda similar to what they did last season; difference being Lowry-DeRozan core was at least a perennial playoff team and they eventually ran into a Kawhi Leonard trade.

I disagree entirely.

The 2017-2018 actually felt like added life with how good the bench was. You could tell that Fred, Siakam and Poeltl were going to be really good players, but we weren't sure how good yet. That team was just stacked at every position and incredibly deep.

The issue was Casey who stupidly continued to play heavy big line-ups with JV and Ibaka together and failing to make proper adjustments. I really believe that had Nurse coached some of the rosters he have would maximized that talent better. No way we should have lost to that 2018 Cavaliers team without Kyrie.

They were maximized. There was absolutely no way to go for that core but sideways or down. Only so much difference a coach can make. Nick Nurse maybe gets an extra win or two but at the end of the day in the playoffs, you live or die by how far your superstars can carry you and Toronto had none. Depth is mainly beneficial to a regular season run but again, don't do a whole lot in the playoffs in comparison to a real live superstar. Only when they actually got a proper one in Kawhi Leonard, they finally broke through all the way. Because he carried you through not only the ups but the downs that would've had you lose series like the time VanVleet was a huge liability against Sixers or when Siakam was being inconsistent game-to-game. But then guess if you can't tell the difference after watching the 2019 team and the teams before and after, I'm just talking to a solid brick wall.

[___Rand___]

1999/2000

PG Christie - Mugsy - Dee
SG VC - Alvin
SF TMac - Curry
PF Oakley
C AD - Willis.

This might be my all time Fave team.

Doug Christie played PG when Alvin was on the team?

Yeah that's one of the more memorable teams. We had size (outside of Mugsy) and length on the perimeter for that era, and all through the lineup. If we had a decent defensive coach, who knows. Doug Alvin VC TMac with Curry and Christie sniping. I know Oak and Willis were way over the hill but Willis still provided some rim protection and Oak beef in the middle.