The Toronto Raptors wasted no time making a statement to open the season, rolling past the Chicago Bulls 135-92 in a game they controlled from the start and never let slip. It was one night, yes, but it was also the kind of performance that answers a few of the questions hanging over this group before the first tip.
The biggest headline belonged to Leonard, whose presence bent Chicago’s defense all game long. The Bulls were constantly sending two defenders his way, and at times three, which opened things up for the rest of Toronto’s offense. He didn’t have a clean shooting night - Leonard finished 5-17 from the field and 2-6 from deep - but the numbers don’t tell the whole story when the defense is treating him like that.
That pressure is exactly why Leonard’s arrival was seen as such a major addition, and it also shines a light on the next piece of the puzzle: who punishes teams when they load up on the Raptors’ top options? Scottie Barnes is clearly the 1B next to Leonard, but against the Bulls, Immanuel Quickley looked like the kind of third option who can swing games.
He finished with 23 points, hit 44.4 per cent of his threes, and still handed out 7 assists. If Toronto keeps getting that kind of production from its supporting cast, the ceiling rises fast.
Toronto also backed up its reputation for versatility with a defensive effort that never let Chicago breathe. The Raptors played with pace and pressure until the final horn, piling up 14 steals and 6 blocks as a team. Eight different players finished with at least one steal, with Leonard leading the way with four and Ja'Kobe Walter adding three more off the bench in 23 minutes.
By the end of the night, the Bulls had been held to just 92 points, and Toronto had walked away with a complete team win.
In Other News...
Allen Graves Had A Very Toronto Moment Before His NBA Debut
Allen Graves first night in the NBA came with all the Toronto trimmings. In his debut against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 21, the Raptors rookie chipped in five points, five rebounds and three blocks in 19 minutes, but what stood out just as much was the setting around him. Graves called the experience of playing in front of a sold-out crowd and hearing the national anthem a significant moment, the kind of arrival that makes a debut feel bigger than a box score.
And for a player taking his first professional steps, Toronto supplied a scene he wont forget soon. Drake was courtside, adding another unmistakably local layer to the night, and Graves said he felt the support of family and friends after the game. For a rookie trying to settle into the league, it was a reminder that his first NBA memory in this city came with plenty of noise, attention and the sort of atmosphere that makes Toronto feel different from anywhere else. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Face An Early Road Test Their Defense Can't Fake
The Raptors are about to get their first road test of the season in Washington, and it arrives with a chance to find out a lot about how real their early defensive promise is. The Wizards have reshaped their roster with the kind of veteran help that can steady a young group, bringing in Anthony Davis and Trae Young to support their younger players, which makes this more than a simple early-season stop. Torontos defense has looked sharp enough to invite optimism, but road games tend to expose whether that edge travels or gets softened by unfamiliar surroundings.
Washington will also be short-handed, with AJ ruled out, which removes another layer from a matchup already built around questions about depth and consistency. For Toronto, the interest is less about the prediction and more about how the team handles a setting where effort and discipline matter just as much as talent. If the Raptors can carry their defensive identity into this one, it would say something meaningful about where this group stands before the schedule gets any less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Draft Miss Just Raised A Bigger Question For Toronto
Torontos 2023 lottery swing on Gradey Dick was always going to be judged by more than just what happened on draft night. The appeal was obvious at the time: a polished shooter coming out of college, the kind of skill set that can look like a clean fit for almost any roster. But once that shooting proved harder to carry over to the NBA, and Dick was eventually moved to the LA Clippers, it left the Raptors with a familiar front-office question to wrestle with about how much weight to put on one elite trait.
Allen Graves has added another layer to that discussion ahead of the 2026 draft. He is viewed as a more versatile prospect, which makes him look like the sort of player Toronto may value more highly now than it did when it bet on shooting first. For a team still sorting out how to build its next core, the real issue is not just whether Graves can help, but whether the Raptors have already learned enough from the Dick pick to change how they evaluate the next one. [Read more 🡒]