Raptors 2018-19 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions
Despite finishing with 59 wins for the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, the Toronto Raptors shook up their roster significantly this offseason in search of elusive playoff success.
Toronto shipped perennial All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan and promising big man Jakob Poeltl to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for small forward Kawhi Leonard and shooting guard Danny Green.
The Raptors took a big risk since Leonard can leave next offseason in free agency, but after getting ousted in the second round of the 2017-18 playoffs, Toronto needed to make a big move in order to keep up with the other top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Dealing for Leonard may only give the Raptors a one-year window to truly contend, which will put a great deal of pressure on the team to make a deep run in 2018-19.
Here is a rundown of the Raptors' schedule for the upcoming season, along with predictions for how much progress they'll make following the addition of Leonard.
2018-19 Details
Season Opener: Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Championship Odds: 18-1 (via OddsShark)
Full Schedule: NBA.com
Top Matchups
San Antonio Spurs: Home Matchup (Friday, Feb 22 at 7 p.m. ET)
Both games between the Raptors and the Spurs will be huge next season, but from the perspective of Raptors fans, DeRozan's return to Toronto will take the cake.
Unlike many players who return to their former teams, DeRozan figures to get a positive reaction in Toronto, and that could make for one of the best and most memorable moments of the 2018-19 campaign.
DeRozan spent each of his first nine seasons with the Raptors, and he managed to make the All-Star team in four of his last five seasons.
He became synonymous with the Raptors, and he was a huge reason why they managed five consecutive playoff appearances after missing the playoffs in each of the previous five years.
Things likely won't be so warm and fuzzy when it comes to Leonard facing his former Spurs teammates.
There may be bad blood remaining from the fact that he essentially forced his way out of town. Also, the constant saga that was his quad injury cast a cloud over the team throughout the 2018-19 season.
Assuming Leonard is fully healthy and returns to his previous level of play, he should be a handful for the Spurs and every other team he comes up against next season.
There will also be some intrigue surrounding how Green fits in Toronto, as well as the potential development of Poeltl into an important frontcourt piece for the Spurs.
Detroit Pistons: First Home Matchup (Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET)
It isn't often that a head coach gets fired following a season in which he is recognized as the NBA Coach of the Year, but that is precisely what happened with Dwane Casey.
Even though Toronto was the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, Casey was fired by Toronto and replaced by Nick Nurse.
Casey led the Raptors to the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, and the Raptors won over 50 games in each of the past three campaigns.
Toronto's inability to get past LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs is what ultimately cost Casey his job.
Not surprisingly, Casey landed on his feet by securing the Detroit Pistons' head coaching job.
Casey has his work cut out for him in Detroit, as the Pistons have missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.
They went just 39-43 last season, but they will have power forward Blake Griffin for the entire 2018-19 campaign, along with the likes of center Andre Drummond, guard Reggie Jackson and small forward Stanley Johnson.
The games themselves between Toronto and Detroit may not be anything to write home about, especially if Leonard returns to his MVP-caliber form.
When the Pistons first head to Toronto in 2018-19, though, it will be a feel-good moment when Casey receives a presumably warm welcome.
Prediction
With the exception of swapping DeRozan and Poeltl for Leonard and Green, most of the team that won 59 games for Toronto last season will return in 2018-19.
All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry will continue to run the show, while the frontcourt duo of Jonas Valanciunas and Serge Ibaka will make life difficult for the opposition on the defensive end.
Toronto also boasts a great deal of depth in the backcourt and on the wing with Fred VanVleet, Delon Wright and OG Anunoby playing key roles, especially defensively.
Leonard will presumably be an upgrade over DeRozan from an overall standpoint if he has no ill effects from the quad injury.
In addition to being a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Leonard is a one-time NBA Finals MVP, which means he knows how to perform on the big stage.
The playoffs have been the Raptors' biggest issue, and Leonard was primarily brought in to change that.
Unfortunately for Toronto, the change may have been made one season too late since the Boston Celtics look like the clear best team in the Eastern Conference.
The Philadelphia 76ers led by Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are NBA Finals contenders as well, and the Indiana Pacers are an under-the-radar team capable of making a run.
Toronto is a surefire playoff team, but expect at least a slight drop off from the 59 games it won last season.
Prediction: 54-28, third in the Eastern Conference
