For a fan base that has long thought of their team as the underdog, Toronto Raptors fans are now facing a new reality; their team is two wins away from winning it all.
Last night fans once again poured into the streets to celebrate another historic win, just like they did after Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, and Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
This is the first time in franchise history the Raptors have made it this far.
"It's like a dream. We're living a dream,” Raptors fan Erfan Bhuyian said while as shopping for a T-shirt featuring the team’s logo.
Bhuyian says that at the start of the series, fans couldn't help but be intimidated by the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors.
"There were a lot of questions,” he said. "But, at this point I think that the boys have shown us that they're strong, they're in it, they're gonna win it.”
Raptors fan Julia Chau said that there has been a change in mentality after last night’s win. No longer are fans just happy with making the finals, "the city definitely feels that we could win this whole thing, especially after winning Game 3” in Oakland on Wednesday night.
The Raptors are currently leading the series 2-1, but you don't have to look back too far to remember that Toronto was down 2-0 to Milwaukee in the last series before rattling off four straight wins.
James Duthie from TSN said that no matter how many games the Raptors win, “you're still the underdogs until you hoist the trophy."
He said that Toronto fans should be excited, but he has seen enough basketball to know that momentum can change in a hurry.
"Don’t start thinking championship until maybe the fourth quarter and they're up by 20 point in game 5 with a 3-1 lead—then you can, maybe, think about it a little bit,” Duthie said.
Another fan, Ikan Dames, said that fans should be not get ahead of themselves, but they should no longer think of themselves as underdogs.
"I mean we want it all right, this is our year, this is our shot. Let's not settle for one or two games," he said.
"On any given night a team can come out and do the unthinkable and that's what we're hoping for the Raptors this year."
