Raptors release 2015-16 regular season schedule

[url]http://www.nba.com/raptors/press-releases/schedule-081215[/url]

[IMG]http://mlse.digital/raptors/SKED-BREAKDOWN-081215.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE]The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday their 2015-16 regular season schedule. The club will tip-off its 21st season in the National Basketball Association at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday, October 28 versus the Indiana Pacers. This marks the sixth time in the past seven seasons and the 15th time in team history the club has started the regular season at home. Toronto’s road debut is set for Friday, October 31 at Boston.

After the home opener, 11 of the club’s next 14 games will be on the road. December and January combined feature 18 of 29 games at home. January and February have a stark contrast with nine of 14 games in January at home and eight of 11 games in February on the road. February’s road-heavy slate is based on Air Canada Centre being prepped to host the annual NBA All-Star Game (February 14) for the first time. March features the most home games of any month with 11.

The longest home stand of the season is seven games on two occasions: January 18-30 and March 2-14. Both stands equal the franchise high set last season (November 7-21) and in 2012 (March 21 – April 3) and 1999 (November 30 – December 14). The longest road swing is six games which takes place from February 1-19. That stretch features a break of three days (February 5-7) and eight days (February 11-18) without games. The latter coming during the All-Star break.

Noteworthy home games on the 2015-16 schedule include playing both Los Angeles teams on the same road trip for the first time in team history, squaring off against the Lakers on November 20 and Clippers on November 22. The Raptors play host to two visits from LeBron James and the Eastern Conference Champion Cleveland Cavaliers on November 25 and February 26. The lone visit from Stephen Curry and the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors happens December 5. The Raptors travel to London, England for the second time in team history to face the Orlando Magic on January 14 at The O2 as part of the NBA Global Games 2015-16. Canadian Andrew Wiggins and Karl Towns Jr., the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, bring the Minnesota Timberwolves to Toronto on February 24 while Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder make a late-season appearance at Air Canada Centre on March 28.

The 2015-16 schedule features US national television appearances on ESPN (January 22 versus Miami), TNT (January 28 versus New York), and eight times on NBA TV.

Toronto will play its 12th 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 (Detroit and Orlando) and two will be faced twice at home and once on the road (Charlotte and Cleveland). Each Western Conference team will be played once at home and on the road.

The busiest day for the Raptors this season will be Wednesday and Friday with 16 games. Sunday is the busiest day at home with nine contests, followed by eight on Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday and Friday feature a high of eight road games.
The Raptors’ busiest month is October/November with 18 games, closely followed by March with 16 contests. The busiest home month is March with 11 games, while the busiest road month is October/November with the Raptors facing 12 games away from Toronto.

The Raptors will have 17 back-to-back games this season (down two from last season), with a high of seven being a road game followed by a road game.

The Raptors’ 2015-16 local television schedule will be released at a later date. For the 10th consecutive season, all 82 Raptors games will be aired nationally in Canada.
For the 2015-16 season Monday-Friday home games will start at 7:30 p.m. (with the exception of the two home games national televised in the US). Saturday home games will start at 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday home games will tip at 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

For Raptors season tickets, mini-packs and groups of 10 or more please call (416) 366-DUNK (3865) or visit raptors.com. Single-game ticket information will be released at a later date.

RAPTORS 2015-16 SCHEDULE NOTES

Atlantic Division
Boston (H: 1/20, 3/18, A: 10/30, 3/23); Brooklyn (H: 1/18, 3/8, A: 1/6, 4/13); New York (H: 11/10, 1/28,
A: 12/14, 2/22); Philadelphia (H: 1/30, 4/12, A: 1/9, 4/10); Total (H: 8, A: 8)

Central Division
Chicago (H: 1/3, 3/14, A: 12/23, 2/19); Cleveland (H: 11/25, 2/26, A: 1/4); Detroit (H: 2/28, A: 12/12, 2/8); Indiana (H: 10/28, 4/8, A: 12/28, 3/17); Milwaukee (H: 11/1, 12/11, A: 12/26, 3/15); Total (H: 9, A: 9)

Southeast Division
Atlanta (H: 3/10, 3/30, A: 11/11, 4/7); Charlotte (H: 1/1, 4/5, A: 12/17); Miami (H: 1/22, 3/12, A: 11/8, 12/18); Orlando (H: 3/20, A: 11/6, 1/14); Washington (H: 12/30, 1/26, A: 1/7, 2/29); Total (H: 9, A: 9)

Northwest Division
Denver (H: 12/3, A: 2/1); Minnesota (H: 2/24, A: 2/10); Portland (H: 3/4, A: 2/4); Oklahoma City (H: 3/28, A: 11/4); Utah (H: 3/2, A: 11/18); Total (H: 5, A: 5)

Pacific Division
Golden State (H: 12/5, A: 11/17); L.A. Clippers (H: 1/24, A: 11/22); L.A. Lakers (H: 12/7, A: 11/20); Phoenix (H: 11/29, A: 2/2); Sacramento (H: 12/20, A: 11/15); Total (H: 5, A: 5)

Southwest Division
Dallas (H: 12/22, A: 11/3); Houston (H: 3/6, A: 3/25); Memphis (H: 2/21, A: 4/1); New Orleans (H: 11/13, A: 3/26); San Antonio: (H: 12/9, A: 4/2); Total (H: 5, A: 5)

Games by Month

October/November: 17 (6 home, 11 road) | December: 15 (8 home, 7 road)
January: 14 (9 home, 5 road) | February: 12 (4 home, 8 road)
March: 16 (11 home, 5 road) | April: 8 (3 home, 5 road)

Games By Day

Sunday: 13 (9 home, 4 road) | Monday: 11 (4 home, 7 road)
Tuesday: 10 (6 home, 4 road) | Wednesday: 16 (8 home, 8 road)
Thursday: 9 (3 home, 6 road) | Friday: 15 (8 home, 7 road)
Saturday: 8 (3 home, 5 road)

Longest Homestand

7 games:
1/18 vs. Brooklyn, 1/20 vs. Boston, 1/22 vs. Miami, 1/24 vs. L.A. Clippers, 1/26 vs. Washington, 1/28 vs. New York and 1/30 vs. Philadelphia.

3/2 vs. Utah, 3/4 vs. Portland, 3/6 vs. Houston, 3/8 vs. Brooklyn, 3/10 vs. Atlanta, 3/12 vs. Miami and 3/14 vs. Chicago.

Longest Road Trip

6 games:
2/1 at Denver, 2/2 at Phoenix, 2/4 at Portland, 2/8 at Detroit, 2/10 at Minnesota and 2/19 at Chicago.

Back-to-Back-Games

Overall: 17
Home game, followed by home games: 0
Home game, followed by road game: 8
Road game, followed by home game: 2
Road game, followed by road game: 7[/QUOTE]