Fans are more wrapped up in the Raptors than ever before. That’s because the team is on an epic streak that’s almost certain to bring Toronto to the finals this year! The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The team competes in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. As fans know, the Raptors play home games at big, vibrant Scotiabank Arena. This epic arena is also the home of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Raptors became a team in 1995 as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada. While the Raptors were joined by a team called the Vancouver Grizzlies when they were ushered into the league in 1995, they stand today as the only Canadian-based NBA team. The name of the Raptors always elicits curiosity from new fans. In reality, the team seemed destined to be named the Toronto Huskies. However, team management was concerned that a “husky” logo would be indistinguishable from the logo of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Following an inquiry period that resulted in team management receiving 2,000 entries, the choices were narrowed down to just 11 names. While the Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs, Raptors, Scorpions, T-Rex, Tarantulas, Terriers, and Towers were all considered golden, management ultimately settled on the Raptors.
Are the Toronto Raptors named after “Jurassic Park” dinosaurs? Yes, this fun little piece of trivia is actually 100% true. The team was established just as the popularity of “Jurassic Park” was sweeping the world. The name “Raptors” is a reference to a species of dinosaur called the velociraptor that is featured prominently in the film. A sickle-clawed meat-eater that lived in parts of Asia during the Late Cretaceous Period, the velociraptor was about as big as a large chicken.
Establishing Raptors history is always important before diving into this team’s bright future. Fans are excited because the Raptors are showing off amazing performance going into the season. If you have Raptor fever, there’s no need to feel like you have to claw your way into some good seats. Raptors fans book NBA vacations with Major League Vacations that bring them to both home and away games. Talk to us about planning your ultimate sports-cation. Take a look at why now is the best time to book a Raptors dream sports vacation!
The Toronto Raptors Are Looking Good This Season
The Raptors are coming in strong for the 2022-2023 season. In order to understand why the upcoming season is so hyped among fans, you just have to glance back to recent seasons. The 2021-2022 season was seen as a big comeback moment for the Raptors. Wrapping up the 2020-2021 season with a 27–45 record, the Raptors missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013. That meant that the stakes were high going into 2021-2022.
2022 marked the return of the Raptors to the playoffs. The return was a big deal because it was the team’s eight appearances in the playoffs in nine seasons. Things were looking good following a win against the Atlanta Hawks. The mood soured a bit after a loss against the Orlando Magic in April. While the Raptors came back with a strong performance, they ultimately could not defeat the 76ers to stay in the playoffs. The Raptors closed out 2022 with a 48–3 record.
They Have a Great Chance to Make It to the NBA Finals
Fans have every reason to believe that the Raptors will make the NBA finals for the 2022-2023 season. The team has managed to get there for eight of the past nine seasons. In reality, the 2020-2021 absence from the playoffs was part of an “off” season for the team because players dealt with a shortened, stressful season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Team’s Success
There’s something of a “magic formula” in the mix for the Raptors right now. A combination of talent, great coaching, and pure momentum may help the team to see its best season yet. Upon the release of the Raptors 2022-2023 regular season schedule, it was revealed that the team will begin its 28th season in the NBA by facing off against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 19. This marks the 11th straight season of the Raptors beginning the regular season at home. The Raptors have kicked off the season at home 22 times in total in team history.
They Have a Lot of Talent
The Raptors have a lot of talent going into the 2022-2023 season. The energy comes from both old and new blood. In fact, the 2021-2022 season was a big deal for new recruits. The Raptors entered the 2021 draft with a mix of one first-round pick and two-second round picks. This draft round actually marked the first time that the Raptors drafted a Canadian-born player. As fans know, that Canadian player was Nebraska’s Dalano Banton. Scottie Barnes and David Johnson were also drafted. Florida State’s Scottie Barnes notably went on to win the 2021–22 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
They Are Well-Coached
There’s no question that the expert coaching of Nick Nurse is helping to fuel the Raptors forward going into 2022-2023. A former point guard at University of Northern Iowa, Nurse is the only Raptors coach to have steered the team to an NBA Championship (2018-2019 NBA season). Nurse also holds the record for producing the franchise’s highest winning percentages in both the regular season (.707) and playoffs (.667).
During his first season (2018-2019) as head coach, Nurse guided the Raptors to a 58-24 record. He also led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA Finals for the first time after leading the team through a big defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks during the Eastern Conference Championship. Next, Nurse became the first head coach to win both the NBA and NBA G League titles after the Raptors pulled off a stunning defeat against the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
The Fans Are Excited
Raptors fans are ramped up like never before. Under the guidance of Nick Nurse, the team is coming into the 2021-2022 season with an unstoppable presence. The theme going into the season is definitely “momentum.”
They Are Selling Out Games
After two years of restrictions and apprehensions, fans are ready to return to the stands at full speed to support the Raptors. Fans aren’t just coming back to watch the Raptors play in person. Fans are showing up in never-before-seen numbers to see the Raptors play in person. In fact, games for the upcoming season are already selling out. There’s nothing to fear if you’re hoping to see the Raptors play in person during the 2022-2023 season. Major League Vacations (MLV) has you covered with NBA sports vacations. Fans can see home and away games in person after booking basketball vacation packages featuring the Raptors.
They Are Creating a Great Atmosphere
The optimism among Raptors fans is thick enough to cut with a claw. Fans are creating a positive, exciting atmosphere that puts aside rivalries and criticisms to reveal just how fun Raptors fandom can be down at the core! You definitely want to be in the stands this year if you’re a Raptors fan! Here’s a look at some of the noteworthy games on the Raptors 2022-2023 schedule:
- Dec. 5: Raptors against Boston at the eight annual Giants of Africa Game celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela.
- Dec. 7: Raptors against the Lakers.
- Dec. 18: Raptors against the Golden State Warriors.
- March 14: Raptors against the Denver Nuggets.
- Nov. 16 and March 28: Raptors against the Denver Heat.
This season’s packed schedule will see the Raptors playing 12 back-to-back games. While it’s always better to see the Raptors live, it’s also helpful to know where to watch the Raptors play on television this season. Toronto will make a total of nine television appearances in the United States this season. The broadcasts will be divided by two ESPN appearances, two TNT appearances, and five appearances on NBATV. Local television schedules are expected to be released at the start of the season.
The Raptors Have a Great Chance to Win the NBA Finals
Are the Raptors going to the NBA Finals this year? The odds are strongly in favor of the team making the final games. What’s more, many people are putting their money on the Raptors winning the 2022-2023 NBA Finals. The upcoming season will mark the 19th season for Toronto in the Atlantic Division. Joined by Boston, Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia the team is sure to play a season like none other! Make sure you’re there to see what is likely to be Toronto’s best season ever by booking a Raptors dream sports vacation with MLV! Only MLV lets you book custom Raptors vacation packages, NBA vacation packages, and more.