02 May
Raptors Make It To Second Round Of NBA Playoffs!
Posted in NBA, News on 02.05.16 by John Meloche
In the past, the Synergy Marketing Blog has happily commented on the successes of the professional sports teams that represent the city where we are headquartered. Our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors have given us a lot to celebrate (and even more to complain about) over the years, and usually, we enjoy discussing our views. Firstly, we often relate the ups and downs of a pro sports team to that of a company’s staff.
There are many similarities, of course. The most important similarity being that teamwork is a necessity in order for any business with several employees to flourish. Secondly, we just happen to employ a fair number of sports fans, here at Synergy Marketing. And some of the more superstitious ones think that – just maybe – blogging about our favourite teams brings them bad luck.
We certainly hope that isn’t the case today as we’d like to return to our trend of celebrating Toronto’s teams by offering the Toronto Raptors (and all of their amazing fans) special congratulations for making it into the second round of the NBA Playoffs last night! With their 89-84 Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers at the Air Canada Centre, the Raptors have booked their ticket against the Miami Heat – a series that begins tomorrow.
In the 21 seasons that the Toronto Raptors have been playing in the NBA, this is, astonishingly, only the second time in franchise history that the Raps have made it into the second round of the playoffs. The first time took place an incredible 15 years ago. Most fans will remember that season as the one when Vince Carter put up a jump shot at the buzzer in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a shot that would miss and end the Raptors’ hopes of a championship.
That isn’t to say that the Raptors were considered favourites to win it all in 2001. But with a superstar like Vince Carter at the helm during that time, Toronto’s young NBA team seemed destined for a better outcome. Fast forward a decade and half later and our city is now home to a team that has dominated the Atlantic Division for the past three years. The best team, by way of a regular season record, in Raptors history, this year’s squad appears primed to achieve greatness.
There are many fans, however, who remain sceptical that the Raptors have what it takes to do much damage in the postseason. And it’s hard to blame them. After all, the Raptors have been ousted in the first round of the playoffs the past two seasons – seasons when they were favoured to beat their lower-seeded opponents. This year was no different. And yet the Raptors made things excruciatingly interesting during their series with the Pacers over the last week.
In one game they would dominate and in the next they would get dominated. They came back to win an incredible nail biter in Game 5, only to get blown out in Game 6. Prior to last night’s contest, the winner of Game 7 was anyone’s guess. Now, there is no guessing necessary. The Toronto Raptors are in the second round and still maintain home court advantage against the Heat as the #2 seeded team in the Eastern Conference.
Needless to say, there is a lot of excitement in Toronto right now. We’d also like to point out that the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally given fans something to cheer about as they won the first pick in this year’s NHL Draft Lottery. Here’s hoping that getting the #1 pick will be the beginning of a brand new era of dominance in Maple Leafs history. But in the meantime…Let’s Go Raptors!
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