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Toronto Raptors

Team Summary

The Toronto Raptors are one of the more recent additions to the NBA, but they already have a storied history and an NBA title to their credit. The franchise has been one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference for a decade or so now, and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon.

The current core led by All-Star forward Pascal Siakam and guard Fred VanVleet is coached by one of the better coaches in the league in Nick Nurse. The team has seen some of its greatest players move on in recent seasons, but the Raptors continue to reload and become a threat to be fighting for the East title when the postseason comes.

Toronto Raptors Standings

The Toronto Raptors, a prominent NBA franchise, consistently aim to make their mark in the league standings. With a passionate fan base and a history marked by notable achievements, the team consistently strives for success. Whether they are contending for a top spot in the Eastern Conference or battling their way into playoff contention, the Raptors’ commitment to excellence remains unwavering. Their dedication to teamwork, player development, and a strong work ethic on the court has solidified their position in the NBA standings year after year, making them a respected and competitive presence in the ever-evolving world of professional basketball.

Toronto Raptors Betting Trends

Toronto Raptors’ betting trends reflect the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of sports gambling. As a prominent NBA team, the Raptors draw significant attention from bettors worldwide. These trends encompass various aspects, including point spreads, over/under totals, and moneyline odds. Punters closely monitor the team’s performance, injury updates, and historical statistics to make informed wagers. The Raptors’ betting trends can vary greatly from season to season, influenced by factors such as roster changes, coaching strategies, and their overall performance. Savvy bettors keep a keen eye on these trends, seeking opportunities to capitalize on their insights and make informed bets on the Raptors’ games.

Team History

The Toronto Raptors came into existence for the 1995-96 season as part of the NBA’s expansion to Canada, joining at the same time as the then-Vancouver Grizzlies. There was some immediate success in the draft, with Damon Stoudamire earning Rookie of the Year honors in the team’s first season of play.

The team continued to load up with draft picks, taking Antawn Jamison with the No. 4 pick in the 1998 draft and trading him for Vince Carter, who had been selected with the No. 5 pick. Carter teamed with his cousin, Tracy McGrady, to make the Raptors an exciting squad and one that was growing into a contender. The team advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with Carter leading the way in 2001, but that was the furthest the team would get for a number of years.

The additions of DeMar DeRozan in the 2008 draft and trading for Kyle Lowry in 2012 laid the foundation for a contending team that continued to come up short of its goal of the NBA Finals. The team made the Eastern Conference finals in 2016 but were swept out of the postseason the next two seasons, leading to a coaching change to Nick Nurse. The team also traded away fan favorite DeRozan to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard in the 2018 offseason.

Leonard teamed with Lowry, Pascal Siakam and center Marc Gasol to push the team to the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors in 2019. With Leonard leading the way, the Raptors upset the defending champion Warriors for the first NBA title in franchise history.

Leonard left as a free agent after the season, with Gasol and Lowry also moving on, but the team continues to play well and is looking to return to the postseason.

Championships Won by the Toronto Raptors

There is one NBA title in the history of the Toronto Raptors franchise, won in 2018-19 when the team defeated the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Kawhi Leonard was the Finals MVP that season, as Toronto earned the championship with a six-game series win over the Warriors.

Toronto has won six Atlantic Division titles, all over a seven-year span. The Raptors won the division title three straight seasons from 2013-14 to 2015-16 before Boston unseated them in 2016-17. Toronto then won three straight again starting in 2017-18.

Important Team Events

Probably the most important event in Raptors team history was the difficult decision to trade DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard in the 2018 offseason. DeRozan had helped make the Raptors perennial title contenders and was an All-Star four times while playing with Toronto, but the team felt it needed a change after back-to-back playoff sweeps by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The addition of Leonard (along with Danny Green) in the trade gave the Raptors championship experience, which ended up helping the team win its first NBA title in 2018-19. Leonard led the way, winning the Finals MVP with a second-team after taking the award while with San Antonio in 2014.

Another trade – this one on Draft Day 1998 – brought the Raptors instant attention and credibility when the rights to No. 5 pick Vince Carter were acquired for the rights to No. 4 pick Antawn Jamison. Carter won Rookie of the Year honors and was on highlight shows nearly every night with his unbelievable dunking ability. Toronto became a title-contending team for the first time with Carter on the squad.

The decision to replace Dwane Casey with Nick Nurse prior to the 2018-19 season was a controversial move for the Raptors. Casey had just won Coach of the Year accolades in 2017-18, but Toronto felt a change was needed. Along with the trade for Leonard, the move to Nurse paid off with the team’s only NBA title, and Nurse is still considered one of the top coaches in the game.

Top Players

There have been some great players in the brief history of the Toronto Raptors, including Hall of Famers Chris Bosh, Tracy McGrady, and Hakeem Olajuwon. But the top scorer among all the players that have put on the Raptors uniform is DeMar DeRozan, who spent the first nine seasons of his professional career with the team and helped lift it from an annual lottery entrant to a perennial title contender.

DeRozan’s career with Toronto ended when he was traded to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard. Leonard only spent one season with the Raptors, but he must be listed among the top players in franchise history after leading the team to its only NBA title in 2018-19. Leonard was the Finals MVP and made multiple clutch shots in the postseason that year to help Toronto reach the pinnacle of professional basketball.

Also on that squad was Kyle Lowry, who spent nine seasons with the franchise before getting traded prior to the 2021-22 campaign. Lowry was a perennial All-Star and another clutch player who helped the team become the championship squad it was in the 2018-19 season. Lowry is the franchise leader in assists and steals.

Vince Carter helped elevate the Raptors into a playoff team in his six-plus seasons playing north of the border. Carter averaged 23.4 points per game over his Toronto career and helped the team reach the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2001.

Top Coaches

Only nine men have been the head coach of the Toronto Raptors, and three of them have won the NBA’s Coach of the Year award while in that position. Dwane Casey had the longest tenure of the nine head coaches in franchise history, coaching seven seasons and racking up a team-best 320 regular-season victories. He got the team to the Eastern Conference finals in 2016, and Toronto made the postseason in his last five seasons on the team’s sideline.

When Casey was let go, the Raptors went with unknown Nick Nurse, who had never been an NBA head coach. In his first season with the team, Nurse took Toronto to its only NBA title, beating the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals. The following season, despite the loss of superstar Kawhi Leonard in the offseason, the Raptors were again among the contenders for the Eastern Conference crown, earning Nurse NBA Coach of the Year honors.

After a 12-year playing career in the NBA, Sam Mitchell got his first shot as an NBA head coach with the Raptors in 2004. Mitchell helped the team break a four-year playoff drought in 2006-07, earning NBA Coach of the Year honors. In his four seasons at the helm, Mitchell won 156 regular-season games.

Injuries

Injuries are an unavoidable aspect of professional sports, and the Toronto Raptors, like all teams, have confronted their fair share of challenges in this regard. Whether contending with minor setbacks or more substantial injuries, the Raptors’ resilience and commitment to player health and recovery have remained steadfast. The team’s ability to adapt and support their athletes through injury setbacks underscores their dedication to long-term success. Raptors fans understand that injuries are a temporary obstacle in the team’s ongoing journey and eagerly await the return of their beloved players, recognizing that each comeback signifies a renewed determination to excel on the basketball court.

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Toronto Raptors FAQs

DeMar DeRozan scored 13,296 points during his nine seasons in Toronto, the most in franchise history.

The Raptors have picked first overall in the NBA Draft just once, taking forward Andrea Bargnani in 2006.

The Raptors have one NBA title, beating the Golden State Warriors to win the 2019 championship.

Dwane Casey coached the Raptors from 2011 to 2018, winning a franchise-best 320 regular-season games.

Two players have won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award for the Raptors: Damon Stoudamire (1995-96) and Vince Carter (1998-99).

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