Retro NBA jerseys see Toronto Raptors play Vancouver Grizzlies and fans are obsessed
The Toronto Raptors just won their 50th game of the season, for the fifth consecutive year in a row, to clinch the second seed in the NBA's Eastern Conference.
It was a big game inside the Walt Disney World COVID-19 bubble, with the reigning NBA champions securing a 108-99 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, redeeming themselves after a brutal loss against Boston on Friday.
But enough about sports, let's talk about fashion — specifically the throwback uniforms worn by both the Raptors and the Grizzlies during today's game in Orlando.
honestly thought for a second this was a clip from the mid-90s
— Anders (@Fauxnine_) August 9, 2020
Fans have been losing it all afternoon over the sight of what looks like a game between the Toronto Raptors and the long-defunct "Vancouver" Grizzlies.
While we know that the team Toronto faced off against was in fact Memphis, those 90s-era Grizzlies jerseys — the ones with a Canadian city's name on the front — delighted northern fans.
Many canucks remarked that the matchup reminded them of the old Naismith Cup, an annual pre-season exhibition game between Canada's only two NBA teams, hosted at a neutral venue from 1995 until 2000.
Congrats to the Toronto Raptors who once again retain the “Naismith Cup”. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/EwBXxT4oK8
— Doc Naismith (@DocNaismith) August 9, 2020
The Grizzlies, established in 1995 along with the Raptors, relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, in 2001.
They may no longer be Canadian rival teams, but fans were especially stoked for today's Raptors vs. Grizzlies game anyway, as the two teams hadn't faced off before today for 18 months.
More importantly, they hadn't played each other since the Raptors traded Jonas Valanciunas to Memphis for Marc Gasol.
A lot of history in one photo pic.twitter.com/6KZ8yrdCdJ
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) August 9, 2020
In the end, Gasol ended up scoring 10 points. Valanciunas had zero points but 10 rebounds.
Leading the charge for Toronto's win was Pascal "Spicy P" Siakam with 26 points, while Norman Powell finished with 16, Kyle Lowry with 15, Fred VanVleet with 14 and Serge Ibaka with points plus 12 rebounds.
The real winners of today's game, however, were nostalgic Canadians.
Toronto and Memphis both in throwback jerseys is the best thing to ever happen.
— Näthän Härdïng (@NathanHTB) August 9, 2020
"NBA teams need to go back to the 90s uniforms, this Grizzlies-Raptors jersey matchup is something beautiful," wrote one fan of the retro jerseys.
"Memphis in the throwback Vancouver jerseys, playing Toronto in the throwback Raptors jerseys, really is the aesthetic I am living for," wrote another.
Others said that the jerseys made them reflect fondly on the 90s, when times were less... pandemicky.
"Raptors-Grizzlies on NBA TV has both teams in their 90s jerseys," remarked one. "It's like I'm playing NBA 2K here lol."
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