Rewind 2014: Raptors return, rebound & re-brand

With Toronto professional sports teams providing very little in the way of hope or excitement for the last few years (don’t worry, Argonauts, we haven’t forgotten your 2012 Grey Cup run) the Raptors have been a bright light for both Toronto and Canadian sports fans.

From their remarkable return to the NBA playoffs to this year’s franchise-record start, we take a look back at some of the top moments for the Toronto Raptors in 2014.

#WeTheNorth

The end of the regular season saw the Raptors post a club record 48 wins, helping them capture the Atlantic Division title and earn their first playoff berth since 2008. If that wasn’t enough to get hoops fans excited, the #WeTheNorth campaign (helped along by the team’s “global ambassador” Drake) took the hype surrounding the young squad to the next level.

It seems the re-brand continues, with a new emblem unveiled on Dec. 19:

Return to the NBA playoffs

The first NBA playoff game in Toronto in six years had everyone amped up, including Raptors GM Masai Ujiri, who delivered this fiery (and NSFW) speech moments before tip-off.

Think it got everyone fired up? Just check out the noise from the Air Canada Centre during Game 1:

Despite being the higher seed, the Raptors were looked at as underdogs against the veteran-laden Brooklyn Nets. However, Toronto pushed them to the brink before falling at home in Game 7 on this heartbreaking final play:

Off-season moves

After that thrilling series, the Raptors made the moves necessary to keep that playoff squad intact, by locking up point guard Kyle Lowry with a four-year deal, as well as retaining restricted free agents Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez.

The Raptors also had the 20th-overall pick in the 2014 NBA Entry draft, selecting what was called a high-risk/reward pick in Brazilian Bruno Caboclo.

Dubbed the “Brazilian Kevin Durant,” the 19-year-old Caboclo (who boasts a six-foot-nine frame and an even larger wingspan) has already endeared himself to the Toronto fans, as they chanted his name at his first appearance on the ACC hardwood:

Franchise record start

Despite the off-season layoff, the Raptors didn’t skip a beat when the 2014-15 season started up. Their 5-1 record to begin the season was the best-ever in Raptors franchise history, and they pushed their record to 7-1 before suffering their second loss of the season.

The team has jockeyed for the top record in the Eastern Conference thanks in part to performances like this on Nov. 22 against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Down at one point in the first half by 18 points, the Raptors staged a remarkable rally to defeat (arguably) their biggest challengers in the conference:

There is a downside to the Raptors blazing start, however. Some pundits say that the Raptors’ early schedule featured plenty of prime matchups, plus a lot of home games, and that future road trips may be less kind to the team.

Burying the hatchet with VC

Looking forward also means making amends with the past. That rang true for the Raptors when they hosted the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 19, which featured former Raptors franchise player Vince Carter.

Oft-maligned by Toronto fans for “quitting” on the team and wanting out of the city, the man formerly known as “Air Canada” was feted with a video tribute during his latest return, moving the veteran to tears:

DeRozan down

With the Raptors flying high, an injury to a key player threatened to ground that progress. At home to the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 29, DeMar DeRozan was injured on this play.

The result of the fall was diagnosed as a torn adductor muscle. DeRozan is considered “week-to-week” but that surgery not an option. The best-case scenario for a return to game action is sometime in 2015. Without their high-flying shooting in the lineup, the team’s record stands at 22-7 as they lean harder on Lowry and their depth players like Lou Williams, both of who earned Eastern Conference player of the week awards this season.

So, with almost half the regular season in the books, how do you think the Raptors’ second half will treat them? Vote in our poll and have your say!