Toronto Raptors: 15 greatest NBA playoff moments

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Toronto Raptors – DeMar DeRozan (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

9. 2016 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: Game 7 vs. Pacers

The most successful postseason in Raptors franchise history didn’t start so hot. It took the No. 2-seeded Raptors seven games to make it out of the first round. With that being said, the Raptors Game 7 performance versus the Indiana Pacers is one of the great moments in franchise history.

The series was very close, although the games themselves weren’t as exciting. Only one of the first six games was decided by single digits. Many of the contests were blowouts.

Game 7 looked like it was going to be a relatively unexciting game as well. The Raptors took control. At the end of three quarters, were up by 14. One quick run to start the fourth quarter and the game would be decided.

But things are never that easy for the Raptors. Midway through the fourth, the Pacers started to make their move. Toronto couldn’t buy a bucket for long stretches. In the blink of an eye, a Monta Ellis jumper cut the Raptors’ lead down to three. All of a sudden, it was a contest.

Kyle Lowry responded with a layup to increase the lead to five. Then, the Raptors defense locked in. Indiana turned the ball over three times in the final two minutes, only attempting one field goal during that same time span. Toronto pulled out a victory and survived.

The win wasn’t pretty, but after being eliminated in the first round the two previous seasons, Toronto didn’t need pretty. The Raptors just needed a win.