Basketball in Canada

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I basically went through the exact same phases as you. A wise guy once noted to me that it's kind of weird to be obsessed by any pro sports team that doesn't have a) one of your kids or relatives or b) a close friend, playing on it. The same goes for national teams which most of us only have a relationship to because of happenstance - we just happen to be born in a given country or be of a particular nationality or ethnic origin.

The last time I really got excited for a pro sports team was when the Ottawa Redblacks won the Grey Cup in 2016. For some reason I was a fan of Ottawa's CFL club (the Rough Riders back then) even as a kid in the Maritimes. Before 2016, Ottawa hadn't won the Grey Cup since 1976. I was born then but was too young to remember.

Other than that the only sports performances I've gotten excited for in recent years have been at the Olympics. Mostly for Canadians but also for foreign athletes on occasion.

One of the nice things about sports is the shared excitement and joy that it can deliver. We went through that last year in Winnipeg with the Jets run to the conference finals... it was a pretty exciting time in this city. I don't know what else could have brought that kind of buzz to the city.

In this era of niche interests, there aren't too many things that can bring us all together. But a great team and prolonged playoff run can bring a city together in a way that few other things can. It's a nice feeling and I don't think there's anything odd about it... it's a pretty common human experience given that just about everywhere has "that team" that everyone roots for.

Now nearly everyone in Toronto will have that shot as a common cultural frame of reference for decades to come.

[Denscity]

Ha we want our basketball team back.
And that team down the river Portland is doing pretty good too.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by esquire

One of the nice things about sports is the shared excitement and joy that it can deliver. We went through that last year in Winnipeg with the Jets run to the conference finals... it was a pretty exciting time in this city. I don't know what else could have brought that kind of buzz to the city.

In this era of niche interests, there aren't too many things that can bring us all together. But a great team and prolonged playoff run can bring a city together in a way that few other things can. It's a nice feeling and I don't think there's anything odd about it... it's a pretty common human experience given that just about everywhere has "that team" that everyone roots for.

Now nearly everyone in Toronto will have that shot as a common cultural frame of reference for decades to come.

The shot didn't win a championship and is more likely to be remembered for decades to come should the Raptors join other Toronto teams in playoff suckiness. Let's hope fans don't have to go through that.

[suburbanite]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Ha we want our basketball team back.

So does the NBA commissioner apparently.

“In retrospect, I wish we had a team in Vancouver right now. I think Canada could handle two NBA teams,” said Silver.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/nba-...vancouver-team

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

One of the nice things about sports is the shared excitement and joy that it can deliver. We went through that last year in Winnipeg with the Jets run to the conference finals... it was a pretty exciting time in this city. I don't know what else could have brought that kind of buzz to the city.

In this era of niche interests, there aren't too many things that can bring us all together. But a great team and prolonged playoff run can bring a city together in a way that few other things can. It's a nice feeling and I don't think there's anything odd about it... it's a pretty common human experience given that just about everywhere has "that team" that everyone roots for.

Now nearly everyone in Toronto will have that shot as a common cultural frame of reference for decades to come.

Yeah, I know. That's why it still draws me back in periodically.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

The shot didn't win a championship and is more likely to be remembered for decades to come should the Raptors join other Toronto teams in playoff suckiness. Let's hope fans don't have to go through that.

Ha. But that said even if the Raptors don't win the championship the memories of that game will still be treasured.

Laugh if you will, but I will never forget the tingly feeling that came when the Jets won game 1 of the western conference final last year. I misted up a little, thinking that the Jets were actually going to win the Stanley Cup... which took my wife by surprise given that I did not react that way at our wedding or the births of our children

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by esquire

Ha. But that said even if the Raptors don't win the championship the memories of that game will still be treasured.

Much like this:....

source: https://media0.giphy.com

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

Ha. But that said even if the Raptors don't win the championship the memories of that game will still be treasured.

Laugh if you will, but I will never forget the tingly feeling that came when the Jets won game 1 of the western conference final last year. I misted up a little, thinking that the Jets were actually going to win the Stanley Cup... which took my wife by surprise given that I did not react that way at our wedding or the births of our children

I've definitely noticed a trend of "settling for less" in terms of what fans gets excited about and define as team and urban lore. Thinking of Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators fans in particular here. This may be true of the Raptors too if they don't go all the way this year.

All of this is probably because Canada is on the light side when it comes to pro sports, and by extension, when it comes to pro sports championships. Compared to most western developed countries, we to tend have fewer leagues, fewer teams, no cities with multiple teams in a single sport/league, and therefore fewer chances for some of our cities to celebrate the type of championships that most people would get excited about.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

So does the NBA commissioner apparently.



https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/nba-...vancouver-team

Ya I saw that yesterday. No plans for immediate expansion but with many sold out NBA exhibition games, a large AAA high school basketball scene, a larger population, and Steve Nash, I'm sure it would work this time. As long as our GM doesn't deliberately choose terrible players.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I've definitely noticed a trend of "settling for less" in terms of what fans gets excited about and define as team and urban lore. Thinking of Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators fans in particular here. This may be true of the Raptors too if they don't go all the way this year.

All of this is probably because Canada is on the light side when it comes to pro sports, and by extension, when it comes to pro sports championships. Compared to most western developed countries, we to tend have fewer leagues, fewer teams, no cities with multiple teams in a single sport/league, and therefore fewer chances for some of our cities to celebrate the type of championships that most people would get excited about.

The shot on Sunday would have still been a big deal even if the Raptors were in the middle of a three-peat championship dynasty IMO. I mean, game 7 buzzer-beater for the win?

But that said, yeah, we are willing to put up with a lot as fans. Sometimes I wonder if unconditional support isn't a little counterproductive in the long run... look at the Leafs and Oilers, for instance. Maybe the Sens are a basketcase now, but a pile of empty seats have a way of lighting fires under complacent asses.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

The shot on Sunday would have still been a big deal even if the Raptors were in the middle of a three-peat championship dynasty IMO. I mean, game 7 buzzer-beater for the win?

But that said, yeah, we are willing to put up with a lot as fans. Sometimes I wonder if unconditional support isn't a little counterproductive in the long run... look at the Leafs and Oilers, for instance. Maybe the Sens are a basketcase now, but a pile of empty seats have a way of lighting fires under complacent asses.

And I should mention that even those non-championship "moments" can be a lot of fun. Even if they do mean that we're settling for less.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by Acajack

And I should mention that even those non-championship "moments" can be a lot of fun. Even if they do mean that we're settling for less.

Not sure what one has to do with the other????

[Berklon]

Probably the best angle... from behind the bench:

https://twitter.com/hall_julian/stat...20903865004034

[rousseau]

Any predictions?

Hate to say it, but in the cold light of day I think the Bucks will win in five or six. Their supporting cast just seems better than Toronto's. And something one commentator said seems to ring true to me: Giannis makes everyone around him better, but not so with Kawhi. With Kawhi you just stand back and let him go to work.

Which isn't a knock on Kawhi, as you need someone you can depend on to score in the playoffs, and right now there's nobody better.

I think the only real hope Toronto has is if they can totally lock down on Milwaukee's three-point shooting while still defending the paint. If they can do that, and if the players not named Kawhi can somehow find it within themselves not to flake out on the offensive end, then they have a chance.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Any predictions?

Hate to say it, but in the cold light of day I think the Bucks will win in five or six.

I'm hoping for a huge upset with a game six win for Toronto at home.

[MonkeyRonin]

Especially given their 1-3 regular season record against the Bucks, I'm not too hopeful. That they've had a couple extra days of rest doesn't help things either.

If the Raptors can make it a 7-game series I'll be happy enough. No shame in a hard-fought loss to a better opponent. If they can somehow take it all the way though then I'd believe that the championship is ours (whoever wins this series though - my money is on them over Golden State).

In either scenario though, Kawhi stays; if on the other hand it's a blowout loss with no support from the rest of the team, he's gone.

[JHikka]

I think Milwaukee wins it in five or six. Giannis is too good and Toronto's bench isn't up to snuff.

[suburbanite]

I think we'll know in the first 5 minutes of the game tonight whether they can make it a series. I'm not that worried about Giannis. He'll get his the same way Kawhi will, but we cannot over commit and let Middleton, Bledsoe, Brogdon, etc go off from 3.

When the Raps went down early against Philly it still felt like they could come back if they tightened up. You cannot afford to go on an extended cold stretch against the Bucks or they will bury you. If the supporting cast miss their first few 3s and lose all confidence and start passing up open shots again, we're done.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Much like this:....

source: https://media0.giphy.com

LOL

Of course because that happened a few short years ago and the Jays have returned to suckiness. My point was that should the Raptors become a perennial playoff team over the next few decades and score a few championships here and there that the shot will be replaced by other moments. It clearly wasn't about years. It was about decades.

No one remembers Borchevsky's OT goal that was as stunning as this shot. The Leafs have been pretty sucky too over the last 25 plus years.

[Doady]

I don't think the NBA and their broadcasting partners will want a small market US team facing a non-US team in the Finals, especially given the current political climate in the US. It will be Golden State vs. Milwaukee for sure.