The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday their 2022-23 regular season schedule. The club will tip-off its 28th season in the National Basketball Association at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 19 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Raptors will start the regular season at home for the 11th straight season and 22nd time in team history. Toronto’s road debut is set for Friday, Oct. 21 at Brooklyn.
Noteworthy home games on the 2022-23 schedule include the eighth annual Giants of Africa Game, celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela, scheduled for Dec. 5 vs. Boston. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers travel north of the border Dec. 7, the lone visit from the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors happens Dec. 18, while Nikola Jokic, the 2021-22 NBA Most Valuable Player, and the Denver Nuggets will visit Toronto on March 14. Kyle Lowry and the Miami Heat will play twice at Scotiabank Arena next season – Nov. 16 and March 28.
Toronto will play its 19th season in the Atlantic Division, joining Boston, Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia. The Raptors were a member of the Central Division from 1995-2004.
The schedule features four games against divisional foes with two home and two away. The remaining 10 conference teams will be played twice at home and on the road with the exception of four teams – two will be played once at home and twice on the road (Indiana and Washington) and two will be faced twice at home and once on the road (Atlanta and Chicago). Each Western Conference team will be played once at home and on the road.
The longest home stand of the season is six games from Jan. 4-14 (11 days). The longest road swing is seven games which happens Jan. 25 – Feb. 5 (12 days).
The busiest days of the week for the Raptors this season will be Wednesday and Friday with 17 games apiece. Wednesday is the busiest day at home with 10 contests, while Friday features a high of 11 road games.
The Raptors’ busiest month is January with 16 games. The busiest home month is December with nine games, while the busiest road months are November and January with the Raptors playing eight games away from Toronto.
The Raptors will have 12 back-to-back games this season (two fewer than last season). Of those sets, six are road games followed by a road game.
For the 2022-23 season, Monday-Friday home games will start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday contests at Scotiabank Arena will tip at 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. or 8 p.m., with Sunday games beginning at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m. or 6 p.m.
Toronto’s schedule features nine U.S. national television appearances. The Raptors will play twice on ESPN and TNT, and five times on NBATV. The local television schedule will be released at a later date.
The Raptors also announced Wednesday the start time for their preseason game Sunday, Oct. 2, against the Utah Jazz at Rogers Place in Edmonton has changed from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (MT).
RAPTORS 2022-23 SCHEDULE NOTES
Atlantic Division
Boston (H: 12/5, 1/21, A: 4/5, 4/7); Brooklyn (H: 11/23, 12/16, A: 10/21, 12/2); New York (H: 1/6, 1/22, A: 12/21, 1/16); Philadelphia (H: 10/26, 10/28, A: 12/19, 3/31); Total (H: 8, A: 8)
Central Division
Chicago (H: 11/6, 2/28, A: 11/7); Cleveland (H: 10/19, 11/28, A: 12/23, 2/26); Detroit (H: 2/12, 3/24, A: 11/14; 2/25); Indiana (H: 3/22, A: 11/12, 1/2); Milwaukee (H: 1/4, 4/9, A: 1/17, 3/19); Total (H: 9, A: 9)
Southeast Division
Atlanta (H: 10/31, 1/14, A: 11/19); Charlotte (H: 1/10, 1/12, A: 4/2, 4/4); Miami (H: 11/16, 3/28, A: 10/22, 10/24); Orlando (H: 12/3, 2/14, A: 12/9, 12/11); Washington (H: 3/26, A: 3/2, 3/4); Total (H: 9, A: 9)
Northwest Division
Denver (H: 3/14, A: 3/6); Minnesota (H: 3/18, A: 1/19); Portland (H: 1/8, A: 1/28); Oklahoma City (H: 3/16, A: 11/11); Utah (H: 2/10, A: 2/1); Total (H: 5, A: 5)
Pacific Division
Golden State (H: 12/18, A: 1/27); LA Clippers (H: 12/27, A: 3/8); LA Lakers (H: 12/7, A: 3/10); Phoenix (H: 12/30, A: 1/30); Sacramento (H: 12/14, A: 1/25); Total (H: 5, A: 5)
Southwest Division
Dallas (H: 11/26, A: 11/4); Houston (H: 11/9, A: 2/3); Memphis (H: 12/29, A: 2/5); New Orleans (H: 2/23, A: 11/30); San Antonio: (H: 2/8, A: 11/2); Total (H: 5, A: 5)
| Games by Month | |
| October: 7 (4 home, 3 road) | February: 11 (6 home, 5 road) |
| November: 14 (6 home, 8 road) | March: 14 (7 home, 7 road) |
| December: 15 (9 home, 6 road) | April: 5 (1 home, 4 road) |
| January: 16 (8 home, 8 road) |
| Games by Day | |
| Sunday: 12 (7 home, 5 road) | Thursday: 6 (4 home, 2 road) |
| Monday: 11 (3 home, 8 road) | Friday: 17 (6 home, 11 road) |
| Tuesday: 8 (6 home, 2 road) | Saturday: 11 (5 home, 6 road) |
| Wednesday: 17 (10 home, 7 road) |
| Back-to-Back Games (12 overall) | |
| Home game, followed by home games: 2 | Home game, followed by road game: 3 |
| Road game, followed by home game: 1 | Road game, followed by road game: 6 |
Longest Homestand
6 games (11 days): 1/4 vs. Milwaukee, 1/6 vs. New York, 1/8 vs. Portland, 1/10 vs. Charlotte, 1/12 vs. Charlotte and 1/14 vs. Atlanta.
Longest Road Trip
7 games (12 days): 1/25 at Sacramento, 1/27 at Golden State, 1/28 at Portland, 1/30 at Phoenix, 2/1 at Utah, 2/3 at Houston and 2/5 at Memphis.