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Toronto Raptors: Top 5 seasons in franchise history

By Jason Mills

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after his team defeated the Golden State Warriors to win Game Six of the 2019 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after his team defeated the Golden State Warriors to win Game Six of the 2019 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors
TORONTO, ON – MAY 27: Kyle Lowry #7 Eastern Conference Final (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Toronto Raptors All-Time best season No. 3: 2015-16

The Raptors’ first 50-plus win season and, to date, third-highest regular-season win total, represented by a record of 56-26, gets the bronze medal. It was a great season for the franchise in that they finished second in the East, had a dominating home record of 32-9, compiled an 11-game winning streak in January, and advanced further in the playoffs than they ever had before.

The team also had two all-stars in Kyle Lowry at 21.2 points per game and DeMar DeRozan at 23.5 points per contest, cementing the DeRozan and Lowry tandem as one of the top guard duos in the league.

Head coach Dwane Casey would lead Toronto to three consecutive 50-plus win regular-seasons, but each season he had to figure out how to beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had his best shot at getting the Raptors into the NBA Finals in 2016. After two tough seven-game series wins in the first and second round vs. the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat, the Raptors fell behind in the ECF zero games to two in a pair of blowout losses.

They battled back to tie the series before losing Games 5 and 6, allowing the Cavaliers to represent the East for the second of four consecutive finals James’ home team would appear.