The Toronto Raptors have had some recent playoff success but the 2019 version did something no other Raptors team had done: win a playoff series in fewer than 6 games.
The Raptors have certainly lost playoff series in 4 or 5 games, but had never been on the winning side of such an equation.
Game 1 once again went to the opponent: Orlando in this case. The Raptors changed the momentum winning 4 straight. The current 4-game playoff winning streak is the longest in franchise history. The 2017 Raptors won their last 3 games over Milwaukee in the 1st round. Imagine if Toronto could win Game 1 on Saturday.
Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse is looking forward in his first season at the helm. "I just want this team to form its identity. What's happened in the past has no bearing or relevance to what's happening now, to me. I like to steal (baseball manager) Joe Maddon's line and say we don't vibrate on those frequencies of the past."
Philadelphia offers a tougher opponent. The 76ers matched the Raptors note-for-note by losing Game 1 and then sweeping the Brooklyn Nets.
Toronto went 3-1 in the regular season against Philadelphia. The Raptors won 113-102 and 129-112 in Toronto; they lost 126-101 in Philadelphia and won 119-107 away from home. The teams haven't played each other since February 5 so the Raptors haven't seen Tobias Harris in a Sixers uniform nor has Philadelphia faced Marc Gasol in a Raptors uniform.
The battle of the benches definitely goes to the Raptors.
Philadelphia has had trouble north of the border. The Sixers have lost 13 straight in Toronto going back to November 10, 2012.
The Sixers did take the only previous playoff meeting in the second round in 2001 with Philadelphia winning in 7.
2019 Toronto Raptors NBA playoffs scoreboard
2019 Toronto Raptors NBA playoffs preview
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TSN carried 3 of the 5 Toronto Raptors 1st round playoff games. So Rogers Sportsnet carries the theoretical majority in Round 2. Rogers Sportsnet will carry the odd games in this round: Games 1 and 3 for Rogers Sportsnet One and Games 5 and 7 for Rogers Sportsnet. TSN will handle Games 2, 4, and 6.
On the U.S. side, TNT is carrying all the 2nd round playoff games on Canadian soil while ESPN/ABC are handling the games in Philadelphia. Raptors on ABC is a rare experience, even in the playoffs, so enjoy Game 4 on the U.S. side.
Toronto Raptors playoffs history
| 2019 | Orlando | 4-1 |
| 2018 | Cleveland | 0-4 |
| 2018 | Washington | 4-2 |
| 2017 | Cleveland | 0-4 |
| 2017 | Milwaukee | 4-2 |
| 2016 | Cleveland | 2-4 |
| 2016 | Miami | 4-3 |
| 2016 | Indiana | 4-3 |
| 2015 | Washington | 0-4 |
| 2014 | Brooklyn | 3-4 |
| 2008 | Orlando | 1-4 |
| 2007 | New Jersey | 2-4 |
| 2002 | Detroit | 2-3 |
| 2001 | Philadelphia | 3-4 |
| 2001 | New York | 3-2 |
| 2000 | New York | 0-3 |
photo credit: NBA TV/NBA
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