Tip of the Tower
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The best moments from the Air Canada Centre era

By Austin Owens

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 15: The Toronto Maple Leafs 100th anniversay opening ceremonies honouring past Maple Leaf legends prior to action against the Boston Bruins an NHL game on October 15, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Leafs defeated the Bruins 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 15: The Toronto Maple Leafs 100th anniversay opening ceremonies honouring past Maple Leaf legends prior to action against the Boston Bruins an NHL game on October 15, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Leafs defeated the Bruins 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – MAY 4: Patrick Patterson
TORONTO, ON – MAY 4: Patrick Patterson /

#2: 2014 NBA Playoffs, Game 7 – Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets

Now, on to the first Raptors entry on the list. With all due respect to the 2007 first round series against the New Jersey Nets, the Raptors had to wait seven more years to get another shot at the playoffs.

Halfway through the season, it didn’t look as though the Raptors would feature in the postseason. It took the departure of Rudy Gay and the arrival of Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons and Chuck Hayes to turn the teams luck around.

What seemed like a trade to build depth for the future turned into the Raptors going on a tear to end the season.

They met up once again with the Nets in the first round. The teams went back and forth throughout the entire series. It came down to a seventh game to decide the winner. The game was close throughout and came down to the final 30 seconds.

After Terrence Ross scored to bring the Raps to within a point of the Nets, the second-year man  — who struggled to score throughout the series — put his defensive ability to work. He regained possession from Paul Pierce in the dying seconds to give the Raps a chance to win the series.

Unfortunately, unlike some of these other moments, the Raptors couldn’t manage to get that game-winning bucket and the Nets moved on to the second round.

Two amazing moments came out of this one series. The Air Canada Centre was once again full for Raptors games, after years of the crowds being less than ideal. Maple Leaf Square was also turned into a sea of red over the course of the series, and Jurassic Park was born.

It’s never easy to lose in the playoffs, but in this case, it ignited a flame in the Raptors and the fans that still burns today.

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