Greatest Regular Season Raptors Games: Sweet 16
What better way to kill time in quarantine than reminisce about the greatest regular season games in Raptors history.
NBA.com's Sean Woodley created a 32 game bracket with all the most impressive regular season Raptors games. The field has now been cut in half and we'll go over the Sweet 16 left as voting takes place.
(1) DeMar DeRozan scores 52p vs. Bucks - 1/1/18 vs. (8) Kawhi Leonard scores 45 vs. Utah vs. - 1/1/19
My pick: DeMar DeRozan
This one was pretty easy. DeRozan's game set the franchise record for scoring and Toronto needed every one of his 52 points in a thrilling 131-127 overtime victory against the Bucks.
He connected on five 3-pointers, one off his career high, and in typical DeRozan fashion, he went 13 for 13 from the free throw line including the game sealing free throws with 6.7 seconds left to put Toronto up four. There's not much else that can be said about arguably the greatest regular season game in Raptors history.
(4) Kyle Lowry duels Steph Curry - 12/5/15 vs. (12) DeMar ends Bulls streak w/ 42-7-8 - 3/21/17
My pick: DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan gets the edge here simply because the Raptors won the game. Though he wasn't nearly as efficient as Lowry, shooting 44.7% and just 1 for 5 from behind the arc, compared to Lowry who shot 53.8% and 6 for 10 from 3-point range, DeRozan's Raptors won 122-120 compared to Lowry's who lost 112-109. To me, that's what matters.
DeRozan went toe-to-toe with Raptors killer Jimmy Butler who scored 37 in the game and came out victorious. Chalk this one up as another upset for No. 10.
(3) T-Ross’ 51-points - 01/25/14 vs. (11) Pascal’s 44-10-4 in New Orleans - 11/8/19
My pick: Pascal Siakam
The sad thing about both these nights was they were undermined by injuries. In Ross' case, DeRozan left early after just 21 minutes and for Siakam, Lowry and Ibaka both exited with injuries. That being said, Siakam takes this one for the same reason illustrated above. Ross' Raptors lost 126-118 to the Clippers whereas Siakam's squad won 122-104 over the Pelicans
(2) Vince scores 48 vs. Bucks - 11/18/00 vs. (10) Kawhi’s 38 & Game-winner vs. POR - 03/01/19
My pick: Kawhi Leonard
I can't stop myself from using hindsight here. Watch the final 10 seconds of Leonard's game. He dribbles the ball up the court, stops as he awaits the screen, then he runs to the right corner where he takes off just in front of the 3-point line and lets it fly. Then, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bucket, ball game. Ya, he did it twice.
(1) Lowry’s 43 leads Raps past Cavs - 2/26/16 vs. (9) Siakam’s 44-10-2 vs Wizards - 2/13/19
My pick: Kyle Lowry
Lowry slayed the dragon in this regular season game, dropping 42 points including a game-winning step back in the face of Matthew Dellavedova. The Raptors actually beat LeBron James in this game, and though they couldn't do it in the playoffs, this game felt like it meant something. Siakam beating the 24-34 Wizards just doesn't have the same feel to it.
(4) Vince scores 51 on National TV - 2/27/00 vs. (12) Kawhi scores 37 in OT duel with KD - 11/29/18
My pick: Kawhi Leonard
Maybe I'm taking a too wholistic look at this matchup. Carter scored 51 points and led the Raptors to a 103-102 victory over Phoenix in which Toronto's second highest scorer was Tracy McGrady who scored 15 and was the only other Raptors in double figures. In Leonard's game, Siakam and Serge Ibaka both scored over 20 points and six Raptors reached double digits. Yet Leonard's Raptors knocked off the best team in the NBA during a game in which Kevin Durant dropped 51 points. This was another game where hindsight gives it a boost.
(6) OG’s 32 with seven steals @ DEN - 03/01/20 vs. (14) Lowry leads comeback vs. Mavs - 12/22/19
My pick: OG Anunoby
I don't really feel strongly about this pick. It contradicts everything I said earlier about needing to win the game, but at the same time I didn't really feel like that Lowry game was a true "Lowry Game." The takeaway from that Raptors win over the Mavericks was more about Chris Boucher's 21 points off the bench than anything else.
Anunoby's game against the Nuggets felt like a major step in the right direction for 22-year-old who seemed to be putting everything together when the league went into hiatus.
Then again, wins should mean something, so you could convince me the Lowry game was more impressive.
(2) Bosh scores 40-5-5 vs. Dwight’s Magic - 2/20/08 vs. (10) Serge scores 34 & 10 @ LAL - 11/4/18
My pick: Chris Bosh
Bosh's 40-point game came against one of the NBA's best teams led by one of the best big men in the league and he was playing in a start rotation alongside Jamario Moon, Anthony Parker and Andrea Bargnani, who we can agree are probably not in the top tier of Raptors legends.
Bosh went 14 for 16 in the game and 11 for 11 from the charity stripe to outdo Dwight Howard who scored 37 in the game. This was vintage Raptors Bosh, carrying a Raptors team with a subpar cast of teammates.