Toronto Raptors Playoff Preview: Breaking down matchup vs. Nets

For the first time since the 2013-14 season the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets will meet in the playoffs, as the defending champions aim to repeat.

To say Toronto Raptors fans have many memorable moments to look back on over the past 25 years would be an understatement. However, ahead of their first-round matchup of the playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets, a specific one comes to mind.

On April 19, 2014, Raptors President Masai Ujiri said: “I have one thing to say before we go into the game. F*** Brooklyn!“. In one short sentence uttered in a moment of spontaneity, Ujiri initiated a rivalry, established Jurassic Park as a destination and galvanized an entire fanbase.

Alas, there will be no watch parties this season, nor expletive-riddled bulletin board material provided by one of the league’s top executives (alright, that might actually be for the better). However, there will be Raptors playoff basketball.

The defending champions clinched the second seed in the Eastern Conference, giving them the best chance possible to repeat. With their 53-19 regular season record, they also secured the best winning percentage (.736) in franchise history.

Toronto will renew post-season hostilities with Brooklyn on. Aug. 17, and while the Nets will be missing some key pieces, the Raptors can ill afford to take them lightly. Here’s a preview of the upcoming series: