The '99-'00 season was a breakout year for this young franchise. With a formidable veteran front court playing alongside the Carter-McGrady tandem, the Raptors finished 45-37 and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The Raptors were swept by the Knicks—but for the first time since the Damon Stoudamire days, the Raptors seemed on the cusp of regular playoff contention.
In the '00-01 season, the Raptors looked to be in contention to win the East. Beating their proverbial vulture—the New York Knicks—in five games, the Raptors went up against MVP Allen Iverson and his 76ers. Toronto stayed competitive, and took the MVP to seven games, almost claiming the series via a Vince Carter in-and-out jump-shot miss.
For the next two seasons, the Raptors constantly revamped the team, which led to another rebuilding phase and a very unhappy superstar. Not pleased with the constant losing, Vince Carter did not give it his all, and soon garnered the animosity of fans, management, and teammates.
The franchise seemed to be a mess, especially when Vince Carter was traded to the Nets during the middle of the '04-'05 season. All seemed dark in the tunnel, except for one bright light—a young and extremely talented forward taken in 2003, one of the deepest drafts in NBA history.
3. The Chris Bosh Era
At the start of the '05-'06 season, Bosh was not surrounded by much talent. Thus, the Raptors struggled mightily, starting the season with a nine-game losing streak.
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