Toronto Raptors: 3 pivotal matchups in return-to-play schedule
By Alex Taylor
Raptors vs. Lakers: Saturday, Aug. 1, 8:30 pm ET
The Raptors kick off their return against LeBron James. That in itself doesn’t need much unpacking –the Lakers are the one seed in the west, and if anyone has made sure to stay in game shape throughout this entire quarantine, it’s James.
However, the Raptors have something on their side in this matchup, something that should (theoretically) help Toronto in their first competitive game in three months. The Lakers play opening night of the return (July 30), against Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers.
That game, a 1 vs. 2 matchup which holds way more weight and league implications than the cross-conference Raptor game, figures to be a high-intensity affair the NBA is hoping grabs everyone’s attention. If the game carries the hype and emotional cost it has throughout this season, the Lakers might not be ready to do it all again 48 hours later.
This will help the Raptors, who will be in the “test-drive” stage, just beginning to fire up the engines after a long time off. It will be a good test for the Raptors, and a rare ‘doesn’t really matter” game, before their mid-day matchup with the Miami Heat two days later.