2001–02 Toronto Raptors season

The 2001–02 Toronto Raptors season was the seventh season for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Raptors acquired All-Star center, and 2-time NBA Champion Hakeem Olajuwon from the Houston Rockets. Throughout the regular season, All-Star guard and team captain Vince Carter struggled with a left knee injury, and managed to play only 60 games.

The Raptors played solid basketball with a 29–21 record at the All-Star break. However, the team then suffered a 13-game losing streak, losing 17 of their next 18 games, but would soon recover by posting a nine-game winning streak between March and April, winning 12 of their final 14 games of the regular season. Despite losing Carter for the remainder of the season, the Raptors finished in third place in the Central Division with a 42–40 record, and earned the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.

Carter averaged 24.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, and led the Raptors with 121 three-point field goals, while Antonio Davis averaged 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, and second-year forward Morris Peterson showed improvement, as he provided the team with 14.0 points per game. In addition, Alvin Williams contributed 11.8 points, 5.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while Keon Clark provided with 11.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and Olajuwon averaged 7.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Meanwhile, three-point specialist Dell Curry contributed 6.4 points per game, and Chris Childs provided with 4.1 points and 5.1 assists per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Carter was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team, but did not participate due to his knee injury. Meanwhile, Peterson was selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as a member of the Sophomores team, but did not participate due to injury.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 2002 NBA playoffs, the Raptors faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Central Division champion Detroit Pistons, who were led by All-Star guard Jerry Stackhouse, Clifford Robinson, and Defensive Player of the Year, Ben Wallace. However, without Carter, the Raptors lost the first two games to the Pistons on the road, struggling in Game 1 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, in which the team lost to the Pistons, 85–63, only shooting .299 in field-goal percentage. The Raptors managed to win the next two games at home, which included a Game 4 win over the Pistons at the Air Canada Centre, 89–83 to tie the series at 2–2. However, the Raptors lost Game 5 to the Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills, 85–82, thus losing in a hard-fought five-game series.

The Raptors finished fifth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 810,160 at the Air Canada Centre during the regular season. Following the season, Olajuwon retired after eighteen seasons in the NBA. Meanwhile, Childs re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the New Jersey Nets, while Clark signed with the Sacramento Kings, Tracy Murray was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Curry also retired.

NBA draft

Roster

Regular season

Standings

Game log

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 1 | October 30 | @ Orlando | | Chris Childs (13) | Antonio Davis (10) | Vince Carter, Chris Childs (3) | TD Waterhouse Centre<br>16,088 | 0–1 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 2 | October 31 | @ Miami | | Vince Carter (20) | Antonio Davis (15) | Vince Carter (7) | American Airlines Arena<br>16,500 | 0–2

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 | November 2 | Dallas | | Vince Carter (25) | Antonio Davis, Hakeem Olajuwon (8) | Morris Peterson, Alvin Williams (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 1–2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 | November 4 | Indiana | | Vince Carter (28) | Hakeem Olajuwon (8) | Chris Childs (9) | Air Canada Centre<br>18,825 | 2–2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 | November 7 | Golden State | | Vince Carter (39) | Antonio Davis (16) | Vince Carter (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>18,887 | 3–2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 6 | November 10 | @ Utah | | Vince Carter (43) | Jerome Williams (9) | Alvin Williams (12) | Delta Center<br>18,194 | 4–2 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 7 | November 11 | @ Denver | | Vince Carter (22) | Antonio Davis (11) | Alvin Williams (7) | Pepsi Center<br>13,735 | 4–3 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 8 | November 13 | @ Sacramento | | Vince Carter (23) | Keon Clark (10) | Alvin Williams (5) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 4–4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 9 | November 14 | @ Golden State | | Vince Carter (24) | Keon Clark (9) | Vince Carter, Alvin Williams (5) | The Arena in Oakland<br>18,269 | 5–4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 10 | November 16 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Vince Carter (29) | Hakeem Olajuwon (12) | Alvin Williams (9) | Staples Center<br>18,964 | 6–4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 11 | November 18 | @ Phoenix | | Vince Carter (31) | Hakeem Olajuwon (12) | Alvin Williams (7) | America West Arena<br>14,823 | 7–4 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 12 | November 20 | Detroit | | Vince Carter (28) | Hakeem Olajuwon (20) | Chris Childs (5) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 7–5 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 13 | November 22 | Milwaukee | | Vince Carter (26) | Antonio Davis (11) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 7–6 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 14 | November 23 | @ Boston | | Keon Clark (19) | Keon Clark (9) | Vince Carter (6) | FleetCenter<br>18,624 | 8–6 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 | November 25 | Philadelphia | | Vince Carter (30) | Keon Clark, Antonio Davis (10) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 9–6 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 | November 29 | Memphis | | Vince Carter (23) | Antonio Davis (11) | Vince Carter, Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 10–6

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 | December 1 | @ Atlanta | | Vince Carter (19) | Vince Carter, Keon Clark (10) | Alvin Williams (9) | Philips Arena<br>18,628 | 11–6 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 18 | December 2 | Boston | | Vince Carter (17) | Antonio Davis (12) | Vince Carter (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 11–7 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 19 | December 6 | @ Milwaukee | | Vince Carter (26) | Hakeem Olajuwon (14) | Vince Carter (7) | Bradley Center<br>18,717 | 11–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 | December 7 | Denver | | Vince Carter (42) | Vince Carter (15) | Chris Childs, Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 12–8 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 21 | December 9 | Phoenix | | Vince Carter (42) | Keon Clark (15) | Chris Childs (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 12–9 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 22 | December 12 | @ San Antonio | | Alvin Williams (16) | Hakeem Olajuwon, Morris Peterson (6) | Alvin Williams (7) | Alamodome<br>16,650 | 12–10 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 23 | December 13 | @ Charlotte | | Vince Carter (31) | Keon Clark (9) | Alvin Williams (7) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>9,791 | 12–11 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 24 | December 16 | Washington | | Vince Carter (23) | Antonio Davis (14) | Alvin Williams (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>20,048 | 12–12 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 25 | December 19 | @ Indiana | | Morris Peterson (29) | Keon Clark (11) | Vince Carter, Alvin Williams (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br>16,060 | 13–12 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 | December 20 | Chicago | | Vince Carter (33) | Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams (11) | Vince Carter (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 14–12 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 27 | December 23 | Miami | | Vince Carter (27) | Vince Carter, Antonio Davis (10) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 15–12 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 28 | December 25 | @ New York | | Morris Peterson (22) | Antonio Davis (11) | Alvin Williams (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 15–13 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 29 | December 28 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Alvin Williams (17) | Keon Clark (16) | Alvin Williams (8) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 16–13 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 30 | December 29 | @ Seattle | | Morris Peterson (18) | Keon Clark (11) | Alvin Williams (5) | KeyArena<br>17,072 | 16–14

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 31 | January 2 | @ Portland | | Vince Carter (28) | Keon Clark, Antonio Davis (9) | Chris Childs (9) | Rose Garden<br>18,117 | 17–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 32 | January 4 | Cleveland | | Vince Carter (34) | Keon Clark (11) | Vince Carter (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 18–14 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 33 | January 6 | L.A. Lakers | | Vince Carter (24) | Eric Montross (8) | Alvin Williams (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 18–15 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 34 | January 8 | @ Memphis | | Vince Carter (31) | Antonio Davis (10) | Chris Childs, Alvin Williams (6) | Pyramid Arena<br>14,323 | 18–16 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 | January 9 | @ Chicago | | Vince Carter (19) | Antonio Davis (12) | Chris Childs (10) | United Center<br>16,227 | 19–16 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 | January 11 | Atlanta | | Alvin Williams (28) | Antonio Davis (13) | Vince Carter (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 20–16 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 37 | January 13 | L.A. Clippers | | Vince Carter (31) | Antonio Davis (17) | Alvin Williams (4) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 20–17 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 | January 15 | @ Detroit | | Vince Carter (24) | Vince Carter, Antonio Davis (9) | Chris Childs (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>17,045 | 21–17 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 39 | January 16 | Houston | | Vince Carter (29) | Jerome Williams (8) | Alvin Williams (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 22–17 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 40 | January 18 | New Jersey | | Vince Carter (23) | Keon Clark (13) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 23–17 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 41 | January 19 | @ Charlotte | | Vince Carter (34) | Jerome Williams (10) | Antonio Davis, Alvin Williams (5) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>16,593 | 24–17 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 42 | January 21 | @ Boston | | Vince Carter (26) | Hakeem Olajuwon (10) | Chris Childs (8) | FleetCenter<br>16,380 | 24–18 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 43 | January 23 | New York | | Alvin Williams (23) | Antonio Davis (17) | Chris Childs (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 24–19 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 | January 25 | Minnesota | | Vince Carter (19) | Jerome Williams (13) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 25–19 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 45 | January 27 | Orlando | | Vince Carter (32) | Antonio Davis (10) | Chris Childs (9) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 26–19 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 | January 31 | Boston | | Vince Carter (27) | Antonio Davis (13) | Chris Childs (9) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 27–19

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 47 | February 2 | @ New Jersey | | Vince Carter (26) | Antonio Davis (12) | Chris Childs (5) | Continental Airlines Arena<br>20,049 | 27–20 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 48 | February 4 | @ Philadelphia | | Vince Carter (28) | Antonio Davis (9) | Vince Carter (6) | First Union Center<br>20,512 | 28–20 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 49 | February 5 | @ Washington | | Vince Carter (29) | Antonio Davis (8) | Chris Childs (11) | MCI Center<br>20,674 | 28–21 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 50 | February 7 | San Antonio | | Keon Clark (17) | Keon Clark, Eric Montross (12) | Alvin Williams (9) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–21 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 51 | February 12 | @ Cleveland | | Keon Clark (18) | Eric Montross (12) | Chris Childs (7) | Gund Arena<br>15,589 | 29–22 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 52 | February 13 | @ New York | | Keon Clark (26) | Keon Clark (15) | Alvin Williams (8) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 29–23 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 53 | February 15 | Utah | | Alvin Williams (26) | Antonio Davis (8) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–24 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 54 | February 17 | Milwaukee | | Alvin Williams (24) | Antonio Davis (17) | Chris Childs (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–25 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 55 | February 18 | @ Detroit | | Antonio Davis (21) | Antonio Davis (14) | Chris Childs, Alvin Williams (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>18,491 | 29–26 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 56 | February 20 | Charlotte | | Antonio Davis (29) | Antonio Davis (14) | Alvin Williams (4) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–27 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 57 | February 22 | Detroit | | Antonio Davis (17) | Antonio Davis (13) | Alvin Williams (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–28 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 58 | February 24 | Seattle | | Vince Carter (28) | Antonio Davis (12) | Alvin Williams (14) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–29 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 59 | February 27 | Orlando | | Vince Carter (22) | Antonio Davis (10) | Alvin Williams (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–30

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 60 | March 1 | Portland | | Vince Carter (25) | Antonio Davis, Hakeem Olajuwon (8) | Chris Childs (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–31 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 61 | March 3 | Philadelphia | | Antonio Davis (26) | Antonio Davis (9) | Alvin Williams (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 29–32 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 62 | March 5 | @ Houston | | Vince Carter (43) | Vince Carter, Hakeem Olajuwon (7) | Alvin Williams (9) | Compaq Center<br>14,221 | 29–33 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 63 | March 7 | @ Dallas | | Vince Carter (19) | Keon Clark, Antonio Davis (15) | Alvin Williams (7) | American Airlines Center<br>19,945 | 29–34 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 64 | March 8 | @ Miami | | Antonio Davis (23) | Antonio Davis (10) | Chris Childs (6) | American Airlines Arena<br>16,500 | 30–34 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 65 | March 10 | @ Orlando | | Vince Carter (16) | Antonio Davis (12) | Chris Childs (7) | TD Waterhouse Centre<br>16,171 | 30–35 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 66 | March 12 | @ New Jersey | | Antonio Davis (27) | Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams (13) | Vince Carter (4) | Continental Airlines Arena<br>16,105 | 30–36 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 67 | March 17 | Sacramento | | Vince Carter (22) | Hakeem Olajuwon (13) | Chris Childs (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 30–37 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 68 | March 19 | @ Minnesota | | Morris Peterson (19) | Antonio Davis (13) | Alvin Williams (7) | Target Center<br>17,010 | 30–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 69 | March 22 | @ Cleveland | | Morris Peterson (18) | Keon Clark (10) | Alvin Williams (4) | Gund Arena<br>17,847 | 31–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 70 | March 24 | Washington | | Morris Peterson (26) | Antonio Davis (9) | Alvin Williams (9) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 32–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 71 | March 27 | Miami | | Morris Peterson (21) | Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams (10) | Chris Childs (6) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 33–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 72 | March 28 | @ Atlanta | | Antonio Davis, Morris Peterson (15) | Antonio Davis (9) | Chris Childs (7) | Philips Arena<br>12,036 | 34–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 73 | March 31 | @ Philadelphia | | Antonio Davis (16) | Jerome Williams (9) | Chris Childs (9) | First Union Center<br>20,650 | 35–38

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 74 | April 3 | Chicago | | Morris Peterson (26) | Antonio Davis (13) | Alvin Williams (10) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 36–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 75 | April 5 | @ Chicago | | Antonio Davis (27) | Keon Clark (10) | Chris Childs (8) | United Center<br>19,352 | 37–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 76 | April 7 | Indiana | | Alvin Williams (26) | Antonio Davis (10) | Chris Childs (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 38–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 77 | April 9 | Charlotte | | Antonio Davis (24) | Jerome Williams (8) | Antonio Davis, Morris Peterson (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 39–38 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 78 | April 10 | @ Indiana | | Antonio Davis (24) | Antonio Davis (9) | Alvin Williams (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br>16,337 | 39–39 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 79 | April 12 | Atlanta | | Keon Clark, Jerome Williams (20) | Michael Bradley, Keon Clark, Jerome Williams (6) | Jermaine Jackson (11) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 40–39 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 80 | April 14 | New Jersey | | Morris Peterson (24) | Keon Clark (9) | Jermaine Jackson (9) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 41–39 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 81 | April 16 | @ Milwaukee | | Morris Peterson (23) | Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams (6) | Chris Childs, Alvin Williams (5) | Bradley Center<br>17,086 | 41–40 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 82 | April 17 | Cleveland | | Morris Peterson, Jerome Williams (22) | Jerome Williams (12) | Alvin Williams (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 42–40

Playoffs

Game log

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | April 21 | @ Detroit | L 63–85 | Antonio Davis (15) | Antonio Davis (14) | Alvin Williams (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>22,076 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | April 24 | @ Detroit | L 91–96 | Chris Childs (22) | Antonio Davis (14) | Chris Childs (14) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>22,076 | 0–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | April 27 | Detroit | W 94–84 | Antonio Davis (30) | Antonio Davis (8) | Chris Childs (10) | Air Canada Centre<br>20,138 | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | April 29 | Detroit | W 89–83 | Morris Peterson (20) | Keon Clark (16) | Alvin Williams (9) | Air Canada Centre<br>20,112 | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | May 2 | @ Detroit | L 82–85 | Dell Curry (17) | Antonio Davis (12) | Childs, Williams (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>22,076 | 2–3

Player statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Award winners

• Vince Carter, NBA All-Star Game selection, Starter (did not play due to an injury)
• Morris Peterson, NBA Rookie-Sophomore All-Star Game selection [Sophomore] (did not play due to an injury)

References

External links