The Toronto Raptors just pulled off the greatest win in franchise history. We take you through the game’s key moments with both analysis and jokes.
What a game. What a shot. Wow. The Toronto Raptors, thanks in large part to the greatest shot in franchise history, have defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
What were some of the highlights and key moments? We break it all down with both real and lighthearted commentary:
Game start
6:39 remaining in the first quarter (6-3, Raptors): We are nearly halfway through the first quarter and the score is 6-3. Has either team ever made a shot before? Philly seems to be struggling to generate offense. Meanwhile, the Raptors couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat.
It feels like the lead should be way larger than this, but I guess I’ll take it. Toronto should start hitting their shots soon.
5:58 remaining in the first (6-5, Raptors): As Joel Embiid checks out, so does Marc Gasol. Has Nick Nurse been crowdsourcing rotation advice from Raptors Twitter? Or perhaps he finally came to the obvious conclusion everyone else seemed to notice five games ago.
4:22 remaining in the first (12-7, Raptors): Embiid checks back into the game with only about two minutes of rest. Apparently, Brett Brown doesn’t feel comfortable playing Greg Monroe for long periods of time. Who would’ve thought?
3:57 remaining in the first (14-7, Raptors): Wait!? Did Danny Green just dunk? I know he is 6’6″ and in the NBA, but I wasn’t sure he could still throw it down. I’m pretty sure that was his first dunk all year (Editors note: It was his third)
Start of the second quarter
11:06 remaining in the second quarter (21-13, Raptors): The Toronto Raptors finally hit a three! It was… Serge “Nelly with the band-aid” Ibaka. That’s probably a fluke, but hey, I’ll take it.
10:38 remaining in the second (21-13, Raptors): Kyle Lowry just got knocked down but isn’t stopping to complain to the refs. Woah. You know the stakes are high in this one.
9:21 remaining in the second (22-15, Raptors): 76ers continuing to have problems generating points early in the shot-clock. Everything seems rushed right at the buzzer. Toronto’s defense is playing extremely well. You have to hope the shots start falling on the other end of the court.
8:20 remaining in the second (26-21, Raptors): WAIT Lowry is heading to the locker room. Oh please, no. If I have to watch I’m not sure I can watch VanVleet dribble the air out of the ball for the last 32 minutes of this game.
8:04 remaining in the second (29-21, Raptors): Kawhi Leonard just stop it.
7:05 remaining in the second (31-25, Raptors): Ben Simmons with a blatant flop to draw an offensive foul. I don’t blame Simmons for flopping. I blame the refs for believing that Lowry and VanVleet are somehow bullying a 6’10”, 238 lb monster.
5:05 remaining in the second (32-33, Raptors): “Ref you suck!” chants erupt around the stadium. It feels like this chant gets started in every playoff game now. I remember when that chant used to mean something.
3:38 remaining in the second (37-36, Raptors): Serge Ibaka just hit another three-pointer. Ibaka is now officially 2-2 on three’s. The rest of the team is 0-9. What is going on?
0:30 remaining in the second (44-40, Raptors): Probably shouldn’t think this during a critical playoff game, but I just feel bad for Greg Monroe. He plays about four seconds before giving up a Lowry and-1 on one of the last possessions of the half.
0:00 remaining in the second (44-40, Raptors): Just noticed we haven’t seen Drake so far this game. That can’t be interpreted as anything but positive right? I’m not saying the curse has any impact on Toronto’s previous postseason failures, but I’m not saying it doesn’t either.
Third quarter
10:14 remaining in the third (46-40, Raptors): James Butler is 1-8 with two points so far this game. Wait does it go back to Jimmy if he is struggling? Jimothy Butler? Whatever Brett Brown wants to call him, he is not scoring right now.
7:50 remaining in the third (50-50, tied): How can anyone fall on an Embiid’s pump fake, let alone someone as intelligent as Marc Gasol? Every time I watch him lunge out, it makes me want to throw the remote.
4:59 remaining in the third (57-50, 76ers): Philly is currently on a 16-0 run, Raptors have missed 11 shots in a row, and the bench is coming in soon. Do we still have any bleach under the sink?
3:52 remaining in the third (57-54, 76ers): With Mike Scott at center, Toronto has scored two consecutive layups right at the rim. I’m not sure how anyone can blame Brett Brown for his center rotation when he has absolutely no options. Blame Elton Brand for refusing to find a backup center at the deadline. Embiid comes back in after missing just two defensive possessions.
2:49 remaining in third (58-57, 76ers): Kyle Lowry grabs back-to-back offensive rebounds which leads to a Kawhi three. What a huge possession by him. Dude is a straight bulldog.
1:18 remaining in third (63-60, Raptors): VanVleet makes a beautiful steal on the defensive end, then attempts to attack Joel Embiid at the rim. It went about as well as you would have guessed. Luckily, Lowry bails him out.
0:00.4 remaining in third (67-64, Raptors): Lowry takes a charge on Embiid. Like I said. Bull. Dog.
Fourth quarter:
Commercial break in-between quarters: Will Kawhi sit during the opening stint? Man, I hope not. If he does, the Raptors just need to survive until he can enter back into the game.
Back from commercial: Oh, crap. Kawhi is sitting. If Toronto can come out of these minutes with the lead still, it’s a win.
9:30 remaining in the fourth (73-68, Raptors): Kawhi checks in, and I can relax for just a second. Toronto managed to increase the lead slightly while he sat. That’s huge.
7:45 remaining in the fourth (75-73, Raptors_: Ibaka has switched band-aids!!! How will it impact his game? Significantly I am sure. We will see if it’s good or bad.
7:00 remaining in the fourth (77-76, Raptors): How is that not an over-and-back!? Sometimes I wonder if Tony Brothers knows that he is actually officiating an NBA game or if he just meanders back and forth on the court unaware of what’s going on.
3:35 remaining in the fourth (85-82, Raptors): The Raptors just threw the ball to the 76ers on the in-bound play. I have no idea what the thought process was, but now I am looking under the sink for that bleach again.
3:29 remaining in the fourth (85-85, tied): Jimmy Butler clearly is hampered right now, and after seeing the replay you can tell why. That guy is tough as nails, but the Raptors need to make him defend on that wonky ankle.
1:00 remaining in the fourth (89-85, Raptors): Danny Green not playing during the closing minutes which is a signal of how bad he has been this series.
33.3 seconds remaining in the fourth (89-86, Raptors): Nurse calls a critical timeout, almost spearing the ref Goldberg style in order to get his attention. I think Lowry was fouled about six times before that, but at least it’s not a turnover.
4.2 seconds remaining in the fourth (90-90, tied): Kawhi Leonard misses a CRITICAL free throw, and as Gasol is trying to smartly tip it out for an offensive rebound, he ignites a Philly fast-break. All of a sudden it’s tied with less than five minutes remaining.
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RAPTORS WIN!!!!