“I was with them” – Damon Stoudamire refutes John Salley’s claim the 72-10 Bulls lost to the Raptors because of a hangover originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Damon Stoudamire and the Toronto Raptors upset the Chicago Bulls, 109-108, during a late regular-season game in their historic 1995-96 season run. That year, the Bulls finished with the best record in the league, 72-10. However, former Bulls backup big man John Salley claimed it would’ve been 73-9 had they not partied too much the night before the game against the Raptors.
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Salley’s explanation for the Bulls’ loss to the Raptors may sound logical and realistic, but Stoudamire firmly refuted it. Damon was quick to counter John’s claims because he was also present that night.
Stoudamire also argued that Salley’s narrative was not only partially accurate. Moreover, he suggested that whatever happened the night before doesn’t prove anything about the events that unfolded during that unforgettable game.
“I don’t want to cosign John’s story, but truth be told, that happened, they did go out, but John didn’t tell the whole story,” a chuckling Stoudamire remembered during an interview with Vice in 2016. “Because I was with them. There were other people out, too. It wasn’t just the Bulls.”
The Bulls really had a lot of fun in Toronto
It’s easy to understand why Stoudamire disagreed with Salley’s claim. Apart from also staying up late with the Bulls prior to the game, Mighty Mouse also put on a sensational performance that day. He finished the game with 30 points, 11 assists and four rebounds.
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Besides Stoudamire, Raptors‘ veteran forward Tracy Murray also had a terrific game. He registered 23 points, 12 rebounds and two steals in 47 minutes of action.
Murray also partied the night before alongside Stoudamire and the Bulls. In a shocking admission, Tracy noted that most away teams were really fond of having a blast in Toronto, especially those who are big-name stars, as the locals don’t really recognize them.
“We were with them and we saw they were in good hands and everybody trickled out of there early. We made sure we were ready,” Murray recounted. “They were out there until five in the morning, but that’s the type of city Toronto is. It’s a city where you want to get out and get into it and really see what’s going on. We used that to our advantage.”
Longtime Raptors color commentator Leo Rautins also echoed Murray’s remarks. However, Rautins neither sided with nor opposed Salley’s claim that the Bulls players were hungover during the game.
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“The Bulls had a great team, they played great ball, but those guys had fun,” said Rautins. “I’ll tell you that I’ve run into the Bulls when I was leaving places at two or three in the morning and they were just coming in, and I thought I was a wild man back then.”
“Teams had a lot of fun up here,” added Rautins. “That day when the Raptors beat the Bulls, I just know Chicago looked, to me, like they had one hell of a Toronto night. That’s all I know.”
Salley still say the same thing 20 years later
As John reflected on that fateful day in Toronto 20 years later, he stuck to his belief that the Bulls weren’t at their best during that game. Salley openly acknowledged once again that they did not take the Raptors seriously and prioritized entertainment over competition.
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Instead of putting their minds on the upcoming game, Salley said they opted to indulge in the fun things the city of Toronto could offer.
“We relaxed, to tell you the truth, because we were playing the worst team in the league,” Salley said during a discussion on the 20th anniversary of the Raptors’ upset win over the Bulls in ’96. “It was springtime, and most guys are phoning it in. We took them for granted.”
Beating the ’90s Bulls means a lot to the Raptors’ history
It was a non-bearing game for both the Raptors and the Bulls, as both teams already knew where they would land once the season finally concluded. However, the NBA media and fans believe that any upset story is worth remembering, especially if it involves the mighty Chicago squad.
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The Raptors finished the 1995-96 season as the third-worst team in the league, winning only 21 games. However, the fact that they stole a win over the best team in the league that season will always hold a special place in their hearts.
“We had it all clicking that day,” Stoudamire fondly recalled. “You’re always going to get up a little more playing against the Bulls. We knew what they were chasing at that time.”
“We had no fear factor,” Murray proudly reflected. “Maybe it was the desperation of a lot of the guys careers but we had a mentality that we weren’t afraid of teams. We knew at the end of the game it would be close, and if it were close enough, maybe we could steal one.”
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To this day, the Raptors faithful and media still consider Toronto’s win over the Bulls on March 24, 1996, as one of the greatest moments in the franchise’s history.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.