Nine months later, the Raptors’ comeback victory over league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference final still resonates.
That series win, and the ring that followed, gave the Raptors all the confidence they need with the league-leading Bucks in town Tuesday night for the first of three meetings down the stretch.
“We won the championship. I think we’re pretty OK,” Raptors all-star Pascal Siakam said about the matchup, after a franchise-record thumping of the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
It’s been nine months to the day since Toronto sealed the Eastern final in six games and clinched the franchise’s first appearance in the NBA Finals.