2020 Toronto Raptors is the modern day version of the 1994 Chicago Bulls.

[Lebron23]

Both teams were still winning without their 2 best players because of having a great basketball system, and good coaching. Both Siakam, and Pippen elevated their games. And the Raptors and Bulls supporting casts stepped up and improved statistically.

[FultzNationRISE]

True.

MJ and Kawhi also share a notable feature in their family history.

[Axe]

Poised to win 55 games or more without a player like leonard.

And also, eastern conference but still impressive and notable nonetheless.

[Drygon]

Poised to win 55 games or more without a player like leonard.

And also, eastern conference but still impressive and notable nonetheless.

Raptors were always amazing at regular season, but underachieved in playoffs before Kawhi's arrival.

Kawhi (more or less) carried Raptors to a Championship last year.

[ImKobe]

Poised to win 55 games or more without a player like leonard.

And also, eastern conference but still impressive and notable nonetheless.

Siakam and FVV are much better than they were last year as they're entering their primes, and OG is finally healthy and balling.

[Turbo Slayer]

Raptors were always amazing at regular season, but underachieved in playoffs before Kawhi's arrival.

Kawhi (more or less) carried Raptors to a Championship last year.
Kawhi (more or less) carried Raptors to a Championship last year. The Raptors went 17-4 without Kawhi last year in the RS. It doesn't screams "carried!!!".

[Drygon]

The Raptors went 17-4 without Kawhi last year in the RS. It doesn't screams "carried!!!".

I talked about playoffs...

Kawhi was a different animal compared to when he just coasted during the regular season.

[Roundball_Rock]

It is a good comp but here are the key differences:

1) Jordan>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Kawhi. Losing MJ is a lot harder to overcome than losing Kawhi.
2) Jordan retired at the last minute and the Bulls had no opportunity to adjust the roster to play without him; Kawhi left as a free agent over the summer.
3) Kawhi does not play full-time. So the Raptors had plenty of experience playing without him (going 17-5 without him, a 63 win pace in 2019). Jordan was durable and didn't "load manage" so the Bulls had no experience playing without MJ. The one time he got hurt was in 86' when none of the key 94' players was on the team.
4) Toronto has to back up their regular season performance in the playoffs. I think they will but it is not proven yet.


The Raptors went 17-4 without Kawhi last year in the RS. It doesn't screams "carried!!!".

Yeah, that myth has been destroyed. They actually played better without him last year and were on a 59 win pace this year without him (the Clippers had a worse record).

One commonality between the 94' Bulls and 20' Raptors is both had several key injuries that deflated their records. Had they been healthy their regular season performances would have been even better.

[Axe]

Siakam and FVV are much better than they were last year as they're entering their primes, and OG is finally healthy and balling.
Siakam is now the star of the franchise. Their future lies on his hands.

[Axe]

Raptors were always amazing at regular season, but underachieved in playoffs before Kawhi's arrival.

Kawhi (more or less) carried Raptors to a Championship last year.
While i would love to see kawhi still played in a raptor uniform and thus, play in the eastern conference, their 2019 championship team will always be remembered for being responsible in breaking up the dubs dynasty that started five years ago.

Also, kawhi's first-time arrival in the east immediately culminated into a title, the very first one for toronto.

[light]

Both teams were still winning without their 2 best players because of having a great basketball system, and good coaching. Both Siakam, and Pippen elevated their games. And the Raptors and Bulls supporting casts stepped up and improved statistically.

Kind of. Except the 1994 Bulls had 3 All-Stars (1 more than TOR) and an MVP candidate.

What the Raptors are doing might be more impressive because they're doing that without anyone as good as Pippen.

[FultzNationRISE]

True.

MJ and Kawhi also share a notable feature in their family history.



Hey did anyone get my joke here??

[Roundball_Rock]

Kind of. Except the 1994 Bulls had 3 All-Stars (1 more than TOR) and an MVP candidate.

What the Raptors are doing might be more impressive because they're doing that without anyone as good as Pippen.

Good points, especially the lack of a superstar/MVP like Chicago had with Pippen.

How great a job has Nick Nurse done? Last year people tended to forget the coaching change because they credited Kawhi with everything but Nurse has proven he is the real deal.

[Rico2016]

The Raptors went 17-4 without Kawhi last year in the RS. It doesn't screams "carried!!!".

Slayed