2014 Toronto Raptors: successful season comes to an end

#WeTheNorth; #RTZ; Drake; lint rollers; Maple Leaf Square; rejected kiss; youth vs. experience

These were some of the themes, messages, and memories from the Toronto Raptors playoff run of 2014. The Raptors blew a 3-2 series lead, losing Game 7 104-103 to the Brooklyn Nets Sunday afternoon at Air Canada Centre.

The Raptors have never won a Game 7 in the history of the franchise. This was the first Game 7 win for the Nets.

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The Raptors had some great stories on the court. Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan were highly praised for their offensive output and free throw shooting. Amir Johnson had an incredible start to Game 7. Sure these Raptors were unknown for much of the season, but they shined during the playoffs.

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Previous coverage:

CanadianCrossing.com NBA stories

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Raptors Coach Dwayne Casey made a surprise trip to the Toronto subway before Game 7. The Toronto Marathon made driving difficult for the coach, so he took the subway to Air Canada Centre.

If you are trying to get to the Air Canada Centre via public transportation, go to Union Station. You can cross underground from there via the PATH or go outside and walk down Bay Street south to the ACC. Maple Leaf Square is west of the ACC while Bay Street runs to the east of the arena.

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The Brooklyn Nets Twitter feed razzed the Nets fans for not being as excited as the Toronto fans. Nets center Kevin Garnett said he was talking with his fellow teammates and the ACC was one of the best atmospheres.

Both the inside and outside crowds might be the lasting legacy of what U.S. fans saw of the 2014 Toronto Raptors.

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The Raptors Game 7 ended up on ABC. Especially coming on the heels of having the Canadiens on NBC on Saturday, this was a remarkable weekend. Unfortunately, both Canadian teams came up short.

I don't know how rare it is for the Toronto Raptors to be on ABC. The NBA is a bit different in that there is only 1 Canadian team that went absent from the playoffs for 5 years.

The viewers watching on ABC saw an enthusiastic crowd inside and outside the Air Canada Centre. NBC viewers saw the Canadiens, but in Boston.

Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, and Lisa Salters had high praise for the noise and enthusiasm from the Raptors faithful.

If the Raptors keep their success going, we'll see how ABC reacts to showing the Raptors.

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Toronto Raptors Playoff Record

Year	Opponent	Outcome
1999-2000	New York	0-3
2000-2001	New York	3-2
2000-2001	Philadelphia	3-4
2001-2002	Detroit	2-3
2006-2007	New Jersey	2-4
2007-2008	Orlando	1-4
2013-2014	Brooklyn	3-4

The Raptors need to build on this series in the years to come. Coming close to winning a playoff series brings hope to a franchise and country desperate for success.

That hope needs to translate into success. Toronto had 2 straight seasons in the playoffs followed by 5 years outside the playoffs circle. Not having won a playoff series since 2001 means a team has to work harder to bring fans over.

Sure the Raptors would have likely lost to the Heat in the 2nd round. But Toronto fans needed that Game 7 even more than the players. The Raptors had a 3-2 series lead and home court advantage for Game 7 and still came up short.

The critics and cynics told us in the beginning that the Nets deliberately lost to fall lower to face the Raptors. Despite Toronto giving the Nets everything they can handle, Brooklyn lives on and Toronto goes home.

Changing that attitude is goal #1 for the next NBA season.

Photo credit: Bernard Weil/Toronto Star

Comments

[Tyler]

If I'm not mistaken, the Raptors had never appeared on ABC prior to Sunday.

[Tyler]

Ok, slight correction. First playoff appearance on ABC. Apparently the Raptors appeared on ABC in an April 2008 regular season game against the Pistons, too.

[Chad]

Thanks Tyler. My usual resources came up dry for when, if ever, the Raptors were on ABC. A pretty big deal, at least here in the States.

If the Raptors had advanced, the Heat would have drawn ABC to carry more Raptors games.