As the seconds ticked down last night, the score hopelessly lopsided against the Raptors, the season coming to an end, it began. First, "let's go Raptors!" and then, as the clock hit zero: "We the North!" As ESPN's Doris Burke began her sideline interview with a victorious LeBron James, he stopped and looked around. He heard it, too.
The Raptors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers last night 113-87 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Read that sentence again. It's hokey now to say no one expected the Raptors to be here -- thought don't tell coach Dwane Casey that -- but as the fans began their cheering, as Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan strode off the court for the final time, it really began to sink in.