The Toronto Raptors, NBA’s only Canadian franchise team, are enjoying a historical season. The team has made it to the NBA Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 21 years. Yet, several media sources are claiming that the Raptors will not go further. Some believed that they won’t be able to pull off a single win against championship favourites, the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Raptors are ‘obvious underdogs’. On Saturday night, however, some of those claims were deemed redundant as the Raptors won at home to make the series 2-1 in front of a loud home fan base.
To help deal with immense pressure, the team has off late depended heavily on this secret weapon, its hostile fans!
The Raptors not only look to its city, Toronto, but the entire nation of Canada to come out in numbers and support. Head coach Dwayne Casey, all stars, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan and local star, Corey Joseph have mentioned time and again that the fans fuel them tremendously.
‘Jurassic Park’ roars the Raptors on
So far this playoff series, the supporters have not disappointed in their performance. Besides, creating a deafeningly loud Air Canada Centre, the home of the Raptors, the fans have come out in thousands right outside the arena to cheer the team on to win two high pressure seven game series and make it to the eastern conference finals. Aptly named ‘Jurassic Park’, they have more than ensured that opposition teams are welcomed with nothing but utter hostility. Mentally it plays a huge role in intimidating the best of teams.
Playoff game coverages by default include shots of Jurassic Park fan reactions to big time team plays which are further watched by millions globally. This has further helped the Raptor fan base grow internationally. Check this Instagram post reposted by the Raptors Instagram page of a fan repping in India!
If numbers are any evidence, the team’s regular season home record this year was 32-9. This included a franchise record of 12 consecutive home wins. The Cavs looked to build on its impressive 10-0 winning streak only to be stopped by an outstanding game 3 performance by the Raptors at home on Saturday night. So much for trusting media analyst predictions! So much for a 4-0 sweep prediction!
Sports culture is the result of a community and fans are an integral part of this community! As a fan, we should take our role seriously and responsibly as players, coaching staff and team economics heavily depend on it. Raptor fans have been through a lot of disappointment and heartbreak over the past 21 years but that has not deterred our loyalty and commitment to the team. Time and again we have proven naysayers wrong. We are far from ready to stop.
Welcome to North Side pride. Lets Go Raptors!! Let these ‘All Star’ performances continue because its only time before the Raptors get that elusive ring.
