Raptors schedule for 2022-23 has a few twists like rivalry sets, less travel

Article content

The schedule for the 28th season of Toronto Raptors basketball will look a bit different than the previous ones.

Article content

Though the team will open at home for the 11th year in a row, there are some new wrinkles. Like a pair of consecutive October meetings at Scotiabank Arena against potential conference powerhouse Philadelphia (on Oct. 26 and 28), a mini-series if you will. That will happen soon after another two-game rivalry set, which will take place in Miami against former franchise icon Kyle Lowry.

Article content

It’s a way for the NBA to further cut down on travel and back-to-back games and likely an attempt to keep star players on the floor for more contests, instead of seeing them rested. The NBA said there will be 55 times this season where teams play two road games in a row against the same opponent and get games against both the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers or New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets out of the way on the same trip have also been prioritized when possible.

The Raptors play 12 back-to-back sets, two fewer than in 2021-22.

Toronto will host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the season opener on Oct. 19, with rookie of the year Scottie Barnes squaring off against the man he beat out in voting by 15 points, Evan Mobley.

Article content

Lowry will also be in Toronto twice with Miami, on Nov. 16 and March 28. Long-time foe LeBron James will come to town for his lone appearance on Dec. 7, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and the reigning champion Golden State Warriors arrive on Dec. 18, Kawhi Leonard potentially will be in the house with the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 27, Nikola Jokic, winner of two MVP awards in a row, and Kitchener’s Jamal Murray, are in Toronto on March 14. The Canadian theme will continue two days later, when Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder come north of the border for the only time.

Another interesting visit could come on Feb. 23 when dynamic high flyer Zion Williamson could play in Toronto for the first time, along with the New Orleans Pelicans. Williamson was supposed to make his NBA debut on opening night in Toronto in 2019, the night the Raptors received their championship rings, and his only “road” game against Toronto came on Dec. 23, 2020, the relocated Raptors’ first at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay.

The Raptors play most often on Wednesday and Friday (17 games each) and January is the busiest month, with 16 games. The longest home stand of the season is six games from Jan. 4-14 (11 days). The longest road swing is seven games which happen Jan. 25 – Feb. 5 (12 days). 

The schedule seems to be a solid one in terms of competitive advantage-wise. According to @EdKupfer Toronto’s schedule features the second-fewest number of kilometres travelled by any team, tied for the fewest back-to-backs and the sixth-most games by any team with more rest than the opponent.