4. Toronto Raptors 113-101 Boston Celtics – October 19
Only the second game of the season, this battle against the Boston Celtics felt like the appetizer for what was to come later on in the season and beyond.
At the start of the season, these two teams were pinned down to be two of the main contenders in the Eastern Conference. It was Kyrie Irving vs Kawhi Leonard, with both rosters packed full of quality players.
Even the build-up to the game felt special. A Friday night affair besting two of the NBA’s top dogs against each other early on. There would only be one winner.
On the night, the Raptors prevailed, and despite still not looking his absolute best, Kawhi Leonard put up 31 points and 10 rebounds in the 113-101 win against the Celtics. To go with his performance, Serge Ibaka put forward a clinic in what would become a quietly strong season despite making the switch to the bench later on in the year.
At times, the Celtics had no answer for the Raptors and it really looked like this team had the potential to be special. How right we were.
The game was sealed in the final minutes, with Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard hitting Jayson Tatum with a double block against the glass. That moment will go down as one of the best of the season, while this game always comes in at number 4 on the list.