The Toronto Raptors are once again an unfortunate outlier for NBA home court advantage this season. They're the only team to play without home fans this season, due to the regulations set by the local government.
The Raptors mascot, appropriately named The Raptor, tried to embody the entire fan base against the Phoenix Suns. With the game in the balance on a pair of Devin Booker free throws, he stood on the baseline and tried to mess with the Suns shooting guard – which he definitely did not appreciate.
Booker made his first free throw to give the Suns a 94-92 lead, but then began calling out the Raptors mascot to get the referees to banish him from direct view. The mascot then made his walk of shame towards the corner of the playing court.
Devin Booker upset that the Raptors mascot, the only fan in the building, is behind the hoop distracting him with the game on the line. Refs send him to timeout in the corner. pic.twitter.com/F9zLGPPD5D
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 12, 2022
Booker eventually sank the second free throw after getting some help from a friendly rim. Hard to imagine cooler heads would have prevailed had he missed. He'll take the 99-95 win, though.
what Devin Booker sees at the line. pic.twitter.com/V9KZIg7rYd
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 12, 2022
But given the disadvantage that the Raptors are already playing with in an empty arena, it might be a small consolation to still have an energetic, distracting mascot on the sidelines. Just don't tell Devin Booker that.
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