Monday was officially declared Raptors Day in Toronto in a salute to the NBA team for a record-setting season that ended in playoff heartbreak.
During an 8:30 a.m. ceremony that attracted a small crowd to Nathan Phillips Square, Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly read a proclamation alongside Raptors point guard Greivis Vasquez and coach Dwane Casey.
In an interview with CP24, Casey thanked the fans and credited his players for the honour.
“It’s a tribute to the players. It’s a tribute to their commitment to getting better, a commitment of growing and it’s a great tribute to our fans," Casey said. "(The fans) are part of something that’s growing … we’re built for the future and we’re a step ahead in the process.”
The upstart Raptors captured the city’s attention and defied pre-season prognosticators with a franchise-record 48 wins during the regular season. The team won its second Atlantic Division title and advanced to the post-season for the first time since 2008.
Despite having home court advantage as the higher seed, the Raptors were upset by the Brooklyn Nets in a heartbreaking one-point loss in a decisive Game 7 at the Air Canada Centre on May 4.
The Nets advanced to face the Miami Heat in the second round.
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