Breaking down the Toronto Raptors’ first two games of the 2018-19 NBA season 

The NBA released the schedule for the opening week of the 2018-19 season with the Raptors slated to open their season at home on Friday, Oct. 20. 

The NBA released the schedule for the opening week of the 2018-19 season on Wednesday, which included the Toronto Raptors‘ first two games. 

Toronto begins the season with back-to-back primetime games. The Raptors will open the season at home on Friday, Oct. 20 against the Boston Celtics in the first game of a double-header on ESPN before traveling to play the Washington Wizards the next day on NBA TV. 

The season opener gives Toronto an opportunity to collect a statement win over a Celtics team that opens as the favorite in the Eastern Conference following LeBron James‘ migration to the West. They split the four regular-season meetings in 2017-18 with the home team winning all four games. The Raptors have won five straight season openers, the NBA’s longest active win streak and one that began with a win over the Celtics to open the 2013-14 season.  

If history is any indication, Kawhi Leonard couldn’t ask for a better team to make his Raptors debut against as he’s never lost in eight career games against the Celtics. 

The Celtics and Wizards opening slate also gives Kyle Lowry an opportunity to go toe-to-toe with a pair of fellow Eastern Conference All-Star point guards in Kyrie Irving and John Wall, against whom he’s more than held his own. Lowry has averaged more points, assists and rebounds per game than Irving in their 13 head-to-head matchups while he owns a 16-4 head-to-head record against Wall. 

As more of the Raptors’ schedule comes out, we’ll be here to break down all of the biggest matchups.