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Ranking the top 20 individual playoff opponents in Raptors history

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  • Ranking the top 20 individual playoff opponents in Raptors history

    Here's mine. Along with the Raptors best effort versus that same team with them on it in the playoffs.

    1) In-prime Lebron James - Lost 4-2. Shortlist for GOAT. Won the title that year and only the Raptors and Warriors caused him to lose any games. BPM of +13.1 through those playoffs.

    2) In-prime Jason Kidd Lost 4-2. Averaged 15/11/11/1.8 in the playoffs that year and like the man above him here... just left his mark all over the series.

    3) In-prime Allen Iverson - Lost 4-3. MVP of the league that year. The best example of the league prior to the analytics revolution. Teams dared him to make the rest of the team beat him. He instead took it as a challenge to show he wouldn't be denied. Took them all the way to the Finals. One of the most fun playoff performances I've ever seen due to his size in the land of the giants.

    4) Nearing prime Giannis Antetokounmpo - Defeated 4-2. Top 10 player in the league and one of the most special players physically the league has seen in 25 years. Freak 2-way talent that made a huge impact on both ends. Presence always felt.

    5) In-prime Dwight Howard - Lost 4-1. Howard was dominant (19/16/3.4bpg in the playoffs that year) and would go on to lead the Magic to the Finals on his big, broad shoulders the very next year. The Howard chant still echoes in my mind from the ACC.

    6) In-prime Paul George - Won 4-3. Many Raptors fans left Paul George fans after this series. Dude did it all.]/b\

    7) In-prime Kyrie Irving in robin mode next to Lebron as Batman. Averaged 25/2/5 on a TS% of .574 those playoffs.

    8) In-prime Ben Wallace. The regular DPOY contender of that era. Lost 4-1. Note: Ben Wallace had a DRTG rating of 86 through 10 playoff games that year and a DBPM of +5.7!

    9) Nearing Prime John Wall - Lost 4-0. He was locked in and his assortment of size, speed, and skill were all full display.

    10) Slightly past prime Iso Joe Johnson Lost 4-3. NOTE: Joe Johnson averaged 21/4/3 through 12 playoff games on a mind-boggling .626 TS% those playoffs

    11) In-prime Vince Carter Lost 4-2. Averaged 22/7/5 but on a TS% of .490 those playoffs. His previous year and the big run they went on was much more impressive. Still, he was the focus of our defence beyond Kidd and he got into our heads and broke our hearts.

    12) Old but still good Dwayne Wade - Won 4-3. He also had a great year last year. Wade aged well and he was very good still in that series.

    13) Peak Hedo Turkoglu - Lost 4-1. At the peak of his career the MIP winner was doing Hayward-like things for the Magic.

    14) In-prime Richard Jefferson People think of old Jefferson now but he was a terrific third banana for Kidd and Carter in his prime. Averaged 20/6/2 on a TS% of .599 while playing lockdown defence. Probably had a better playoff that Carter that year but part of that was because of the attention Carter took on. Stats would sneak up on you in the playoffs.

    15) Peak Kevin Love - Lost 4-2. These playoffs he was good but not spectacular. 15/8/2 on a TS% of .540.

    16) In-prime Rashard Lewis - Lost 4-1.

    17) In-Prime Allan Houston Won 3-2.

    18) In-Prime Latrell Sprewell Won 3-2.

    19) Old but still very effective Patrick Ewing the first year we faced them Lost 3-0. (Note: His final year as a Knick so I have to show the 3-0 loss. He wasn't part of our series win the following year. The HOFer averaged 15/10/1.4 in that playoff series versus us at age 37!)

    20) Old but still clutch as hell Paul Pierce - Lost 4-3.

    Honorable Mention:
    37-year old but still very good defensively and a terrific team leader... Kevin Garnett - Lost 4-3.

    Agree? Disagree? Anyone crazy that deserves to crack the top 20 who didn't?

  • #2
    I'd rank Wade above Wall and Iso Joe. He was a beast in the playoffs that year against us

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