Ranking the Toronto Raptors' Primetime TV Games

The Raptors are taking a trip to South Florida to start the month of March, playing a pair of games against the Heat at the Kaseya Center. This will be the second night of a back-to-back, which might mean the nationally televised audience doesn't get to see each team at full strength.

The Heat are expected to be better in the 2026-27 campaign with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster after being acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. There is no guarantee that the Heat will be a playoff contender even with the Greek Freak.

The Heat ended up in the lottery last season and have not done much to acquire much depth on the roster. This could make the Heat the worst opponent the Raptors face on national TV and thus make this the least desirable of the seven matchups.

Feb. 16: Tussle with the Hawks (NBC)

This game feels somewhat random out of the seven to be on national TV. It's a five-game slate in the NBA on the Tuesday right before the All-Star break. Out of those five contests, only two are not on the West Coast, so NBC's doubleheader needs an East Coast game to start off the night.

The game that wasn't selected between the two was the Bucks, who are starting a new era without Antetokounmpo, against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This game almost feels like the default option, but it still could bring an exciting matchup.

Both teams finished with identical 46-36 records last season and have made improvements to the roster to maintain their spot among the Eastern Conference's best teams. The Hawks traded for Canadian two-way player Lu Dort, while the Raptors are looking to finalize a trade for Kawhi Leonard.

The Raptors are awaiting the finalization of the investigation regarding Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers for alleged salary cap circumvention, but there is reason to believe the trade will be complete in the next couple of weeks.

Jan. 7: Timberwolves Come to Town (Prime Video)

Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and the Minnesota Timberwolves are making their annual trip to the Scotiabank Arena on the first Thursday night of the 2027 calendar year, which sets it up for another nationally televised game. It's a busy night in the NBA with 12 games on the schedule, but the Wolves and Raptors are one of the more exciting matchups to watch.

The Wolves are taking a risk by trading for Ball and forming one of the more dynamic backcourts in the league, but that matchup should be intriguing against the Raptors. The Raptors make their money in the frontcourt, with Scottie Barnes leading the way.

Jan. 25: Divisional Rivalry vs. Celtics (NBCSN)

The Raptors draw a matchup with the Celtics on the final Monday of January, and it's a good old-fashioned rivalry game. The Celtics may not have Jalen Brown anymore, but they still anticipate being one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Raptors have struggled against the Celtics in recent times, dropping all four games against them last season. This represents a chance to redeem themselves if they can take advantage of it.

Mar. 15: Raptors Draw LeBron James, 76ers (NBCSN)

This won't be the first time the Raptors face off against LeBron James with the Philadelphia 76ers, but it will still bring a lot of intrigue to the court. With less than a month until the end of the regular season, this game could have strong playoff implications if both teams are competing for one of those final spots in the Eastern Conference.

The Raptors and Sixers finished within a game of each other last season. With Philly's changes over the summer acquiring LeBron and Brown, they are expected to be one of the biggest challengers for Toronto in the Eastern Conference standings.

Nov. 20: NBA Cup Contest vs. Pistons (Prime Video)

The NBA Cup has a way of setting the tone for the season, and this matchup will do so against the Pistons, who won 60 games last season and were the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors were one game away from facing off against the Pistons in a second-round series, but they fell in seven games in the first round of the playoffs.

This could very well be a playoff series come springtime, and this game represents a preview with a postseason atmosphere in the backdrop of the NBA Cup.

Jan. 29: Playoff Rematch vs. Cavaliers (ESPN)

This won't be the first time the Raptors visit Rocket Arena in Cleveland during the season, but it will be the first time they get a chance to do so in front of a nationally televised audience.

The Raptors will be hungry every time they face off against the Cavs, as it will serve as a reminder of where they were last year and how much they want to improve from that position. The Raptors were successful against the Cavaliers during the regular season, getting a 4-0 sweep, but it didn't translate in the playoffs. The Raptors hope things will revert back to how it was in the regular season around the halfway point of the year.

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