The Toronto Raptors’ schedule is officially out.
Some years, it feels like the wait for the full 82-game lineup drags on, but this summer was filled with excitement. Between the NBA Draft, free agency, Summer League, and the Paris Olympics, basketball fans have had no shortage of topics to discuss. Now, it’s time to shift our focus to the upcoming season. All the offseason moves and draft picks won’t matter if the team can’t perform when the games begin. So, how does the season look for the Toronto Raptors? Let’s dive into the key takeaways from the schedule release.
1. A Grueling Start
The Toronto Raptors are no strangers to challenging season openers, but this year’s start is particularly tough. The first week features four games against top playoff teams: a home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, followed by matchups with the latest super team in the Philadelphia 76ers, last year’s top defense in the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the reigning NBA champions, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. These teams combined for an average of 52 wins last season and include the last four MVPs—Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic—along with explosive guards like Donovan Mitchell and Anthony Edwards.
Interestingly, the Raptors face the Nuggets twice in their first eight games, but won’t see them again for the rest of the season.
2. Christmas in New York
The Raptors won’t be playing on Christmas Day—something that’s only happened twice in their history—but they’ll be in New York to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 23rd, followed by a road game in Memphis on December 26th. This could mean spending Christmas in New York, which might be the next best thing to being home for the holidays.
3. A Finals Rematch in January
There’s always something special about witnessing NBA legends in action, and the Raptors will host Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on January 13th in a rematch of the 2019 Finals, where the Raptors secured their first championship by defeating Curry and the Warriors.
4. A Softer Finish
Last season, the Raptors ended with a disastrous losing streak, the worst in franchise history. This year, they’re aiming for a playoff spot as the season winds down, with rising star Scottie Barnes leading a strong team. The schedule could be favorable for a late-season push. After returning from a West Coast road trip in mid-March, the Raptors will host the San Antonio Spurs, who finished last in the Western Conference last season. They’ll then face the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, and Charlotte Hornets—three teams likely to be in rebuild mode.
Following a game against Philadelphia to close out March, the Raptors’ final stretch includes matchups with the Portland Trail Blazers, Detroit Pistons, Nets (again), and Hornets (again), before wrapping up on the road in Texas against the Dallas Mavericks and Spurs. That’s two playoff teams and nine rebuilding teams in the last 11 games.
As more details of the schedule come to light, excitement will continue to build as we approach the start of Raptors basketball.