The 1996–97 Toronto Raptors season was the second season for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association.
Season summary
Off-season After finishing with a 21–61 record in their inaugural season, the Raptors received the second overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected center Marcus Camby from the University of Massachusetts. During the off-season, the team hired assistant coach Darrell Walker as their new head coach, signed free agent Walt Williams, acquired Popeye Jones from the Dallas Mavericks, acquired three-point specialist Hubert Davis from the New York Knicks, and signed John Long, who came out of his retirement. The team also signed Benoit Benjamin, but released him to free agency in November after only four games.
Regular season Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the NBA in their regular season opener on November 1, 1996, the Raptors played against the New York Knicks at the SkyDome. The game marked the 50th anniversary of the first ever NBA game played, between the Knicks and the Toronto Huskies at Maple Leaf Gardens on November 1, 1946, back when the league was known as the BAA (Basketball Association of America). The Raptors wore throwback uniforms of the Huskies, but lost to the Knicks at home, 107–99; second-year star Damon Stoudamire finished with a double-double of 28 points and 10 assists, while Doug Christie added 24 points, 7 assists and 4 steals.
Under Walker and with the addition of Camby, Williams and Jones, the Raptors played around .500 in winning percentage with a 3–3 start to the regular season, but then posted a six-game losing streak afterwards, and later on held a 17–29 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team re-signed free agent Oliver Miller after a brief stint with the Dallas Mavericks, and traded Acie Earl to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for second-year guard Shawn Respert, while signing free agents Reggie Slater and Clifford Rozier. The Raptors finished in last place in the Central Division with a 30–52 record, which was a nine-game improvement over their inaugural season.
Stoudamire averaged 20.2 points, 8.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and led the Raptors with 176 three-point field goals, while Williams averaged 16.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, and contributed 175 three-point field goals, and Camby provided the team with 14.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, Christie contributed 14.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.5 steals per game, along with 147 three-point field goals, while Carlos Rogers averaged 9.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, Jones provided with 7.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and Slater contributed 7.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in 26 games. Meanwhile, Sharone Wright averaged 6.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, Miller provided with 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in 19 games, Respert contributed 5.6 points per game in 27 games after the trade, Davis contributed 5.0 points per game, but only played just 36 games due to injury, and Rozier provided with 4.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in 41 games.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Williams participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout, while Camby was selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference Rookie team. Camby scored 18 points along with 12 rebounds and 4 assists, as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 96–91. Christie finished in second place in Most Improved Player voting, behind Isaac Austin of the Miami Heat.
The Raptors finished eighth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 744,550 at the SkyDome during the regular season.
Aftermath Following the season, Davis signed as a free agent with the Dallas Mavericks, while Rozier signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Long retired.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 2 Marcus Camby C/PF UMass
Roster
Regular season
Highs November 1, 1996 – To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the NBA, the first game of the season was played between the Raptors and the New York Knicks. Both teams wore throwback uniforms to recognize the anniversary. The Raptors wore the jerseys of the Toronto Huskies. The reason the game was played in Toronto was to recognize that the first ever NBA game was played in Toronto. The final score was 107–99 for the Knicks. November 8, 1996 – The Raptors pulled a huge upset by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers by a score of 93–92. One of the game's highlights was Popeye Jones blocking a shot by Shaquille O'Neal. December 8, 1996 – In a game against the defending NBA Champion Chicago Bulls, the Raptors pulled another upset by defeating the Bulls 97–89 February 25, 1997 – Versus the Denver Nuggets, the Raptors had their highest point total of the season. The final score was 124–122 for the Raptors.
Lows January 15, 1997 – The Raptors suffer one of their worst losses of the season. It was at the hands of the defending Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics by a score of 122–78.
Season standings
Game log
|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 1 | November 1 | New York | | Damon Stoudamire (28) | Popeye Jones (9) | Damon Stoudamire (10) | SkyDome28,457 | 0–1 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 2 | November 2 | @ Charlotte | | Damon Stoudamire (19) | Carlos Rogers (8) | Damon Stoudamire (5) | Charlotte Coliseum24,042 | 0–2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 | November 5 | Dallas | | Walt Williams (34) | Carlos Rogers (12) | Damon Stoudamire (8) | SkyDome17,065 | 1–2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 | November 8 | L.A. Lakers | | Damon Stoudamire (21) | Damon Stoudamire (10) | Damon Stoudamire (10) | SkyDome27,357 | 2-2 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 5 | November 11 | Denver | | Marcus Camby (26) | Carlos Rogers (9) | Damon Stoudamire (6) | SkyDome17,132 | 2–3 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 6 | November 13 | Philadelphia | | Marcus Camby (23) | Popeye Jones (14) | Damon Stoudamire (12) | SkyDome17,385 | 3-3 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 7 | November 14 | @ New York | | Marcus Camby (29) | Popeye Jones (8) | Damon Stoudamire (13) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 3–4 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 8 | November 16 | @ Orlando | | Walt Williams (29) | Doug Christie (7) | Damon Stoudamire (5) | Orlando Arena17,248 | 3–5 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 9 | November 19 | Seattle | | Doug Christie (31) | Popeye Jones (11) | Marcus Camby (4) | SkyDome18,803 | 3–6 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 10 | November 21 | Cleveland | | Damon Stoudamire (24) | Acie Earl (8) | Damon Stoudamire (6) | SkyDome16,835 | 3–7 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 11 | November 23 | Atlanta | | Damon Stoudamire (22) | Popeye Jones (9) | Damon Stoudamire (8) | SkyDome16,838 | 3–8 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 12 | November 26 | Sacramento | | Damon Stoudamire (27) | Popeye Jones (16) | Damon Stoudamire (6) | SkyDome15,037 | 3–9 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 13 | November 27 | Charlotte | | Walt Williams (23) | Popeye Jones (18) | Damon Stoudamire (6) | SkyDome15,710 | 4–9 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 14 | November 30 | @ Minnesota | | Damon Stoudamire (20) | Popeye Jones (15) | Doug Christie, Damon Stoudamire (4) | Target Center18,679 | 4–10
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 | December 2 | Houston | | Damon Stoudamire (27) | Popeye Jones (13) | Damon Stoudamire (11) | SkyDome17,108 | 5–10 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 16 | December 3 | @ Cleveland | | Doug Christie, Acie Earl (16) | Popeye Jones (9) | Damon Stoudamire (11) | Gund Arena13,494 | 5–11 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 | December 5 | Washington | | Walt Williams (29) | Popeye Jones (13) | Damon Stoudamire (9) | SkyDome15,222 | 6–11 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 18 | December 7 | @ Atlanta | | Walt Williams (17) | Popeye Jones (10) | Doug Christie, Damon Stoudamire (3) | Omni Coliseum11,422 | 6–12 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 | December 8 | Chicago | | Damon Stoudamire (31) | Popeye Jones (18) | Damon Stoudamire (13) | SkyDome33,385 | 7–12 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 20 | December 10 | Golden State | | Damon Stoudamire (19) | Carlos Rogers (8) | Damon Stoudamire (10) | SkyDome15,132 | 7–13 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 21 | December 11 | @ Boston | | Damon Stoudamire (31) | Popeye Jones (21) | Damon Stoudamire (12) | FleetCenter14,760 | 7–14 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 22 | December 14 | @ Miami | | Walt Williams (18) | Doug Christie, Carlos Rogers (8) | Doug Christie (6) | Miami Arena14,712 | 7–15 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 23 | December 16 | Detroit | | Damon Stoudamire (28) | Doug Christie, Carlos Rogers (6) | Damon Stoudamire (8) | SkyDome16,546 | 7–16 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 | December 17 | @ New Jersey | | Walt Williams (24) | Popeye Jones (12) | Doug Christie, Popeye Jones (3) | Continental Airlines Arena10,078 | 8–16 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 25 | December 19 | Milwaukee | | Damon Stoudamire (19) | Popeye Jones (17) | Damon Stoudamire (12) | SkyDome15,321 | 9–16 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 26 | December 20 | @ Cleveland | | Carlos Rogers (18) | Doug Christie (8) | Damon Stoudamire (7) | Gund Arena14,624 | 9–17 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 27 | December 22 | @ Indiana | | Carlos Rogers (15) | Popeye Jones (11) | Damon Stoudamire, Walt Williams (3) | Market Square Arena14,533 | 9–18 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 28 | December 26 | New Jersey | | Damon Stoudamire (18) | Popeye Jones (11) | Doug Christie (7) | Copps Coliseum16,630 | 9–19 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 29 | December 27 | @ Washington | | Doug Christie (20) | Marcus Camby (10) | Damon Stoudamire (8) | USAir Arena18,756 | 10–19
|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 30 | January 2 | @ Orlando | | Damon Stoudamire (32) | Popeye Jones (11) | Damon Stoudamire (12) | Orlando Arena17,248 | 10–20 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 31 | January 4 | @ Detroit | | Doug Christie (20) | Popeye Jones (7) | Damon Stoudamire (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 10–21 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 32 | January 7 | L.A. Clippers | | Damon Stoudamire (25) | Doug Christie (11) | Damon Stoudamire (9) | SkyDome15,249 | 10–22 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 33 | January 9 | Utah | | Damon Stoudamire (27) | Popeye Jones (14) | Doug Christie (10) | SkyDome12,410 | 11–22 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 34 | January 11 | @ New Jersey | | Damon Stoudamire, Walt Williams (28) | Marcus Camby, Popeye Jones (9) | Doug Christie, Damon Stoudamire (9) | Continental Airlines Arena15,527 | 12–22 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 35 | January 12 | Orlando | | Walt Williams (22) | Popeye Jones (10) | Damon Stoudamire (14) | SkyDome21,416 | 12–23 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 36 | January 15 | @ Seattle | | Doug Christie, Carlos Rogers (15) | Carlos Rogers, Walt Williams (7) | Damon Stoudamire (7) | KeyArena17,072 | 12–24 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 | January 17 | @ Portland | | Damon Stoudamire (24) | Popeye Jones (12) | Doug Christie (8) | Rose Garden20,212 | 13–24 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 38 | January 19 | @ Vancouver | | Damon Stoudamire (34) | Marcus Camby (11) | Damon Stoudamire (6) | General Motors Place17,474 | 13–25 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 39 | January 21 | Minnesota | | Walt Williams (32) | Popeye Jones (10) | Damon Stoudamire (17) | SkyDome15,589 | 14–25 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 40 | January 23 | Miami | | Walt Williams (23) | Marcus Camby (10) | Damon Stoudamire (11) | SkyDome15,817 | 14–26 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 41 | January 25 | @ Chicago | | Damon Stoudamire (26) | Popeye Jones (16) | Damon Stoudamire (11) | United Center23,913 | 14–27 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 | January 28 | Portland | | Doug Christie (33) | Clifford Rozier (11) | Damon Stoudamire (13) | SkyDome15,327 | 15–27 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 43 | January 29 | @ Philadelphia | | Damon Stoudamire (25) | Popeye Jones (10) | Doug Christie (6) | CoreStates Center11,251 | 15–28
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 | February 1 | Phoenix | | Walt Williams (33) | Popeye Jones (14) | Damon Stoudamire (13) | SkyDome19,405 | 16–28 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 45 | February 3 | Boston | | Damon Stoudamire (26) | Popeye Jones (11) | Damon Stoudamire (10) | SkyDome15,259 | 16–29 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 | February 5 | Cleveland |