Our old nemesis returns
Projected Starters
NOTES
- The Toronto Raptors begin a three-game homestand Monday by hosting the Charlotte Hornets at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors are the only NBA team that is slated to play five of their first six games this season at home (Oct. 17-26). Toronto swept the season series against Charlotte last year, and eight of the last 10 meetings overall.
- Toronto starts a season 3-0 for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign when the team set a franchise record by winning five straight to open the year. The last time Toronto won three straight home games to start a season was in 2014-15.
- Kyle Lowry leads the Raptors with a career-best 12 three-pointers made through three games. His previous best was eight three-pointers to start a season. Lowry ranks second among Eastern Conference players for three-pointers made, trailing only Charlotte’s Kemba Walker (19). Lowry is shooting .600 (12-for-19) from beyond the arch, while Walker is shooting .500 (19-for-38).
- Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 28 points and 12 assists during Saturday’s 117-113 win on the road at Washington. Lowry’s 70 points through the first three games was one point shy of a his career-best 71 during the 2012-13 season and two assists shy of the 28 he recorded to start the 2011-12 campaign.
- Fred VanVleet has recorded at least 10 points while coming off the bench in three consecutive games (Oct. 17-21). A fourth straight game would mark his third-longest streak of 10-point games. VanVleet had a career-high nine straight games with 10 or points Jan. 28-Feb. 14 last season and a six-game streak Mar. 16-31.
- Kawhi Leonard recorded his second consecutive double-double with team highs of 31 points (10-25 FG, 2-5 3PT, 9-9 FT) and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes Oct. 19 vs. Boston. Leonard became just the third player in franchise history to post a double-double in their first two games with the Raptors; joining Damon Stoudamire (1995) and Kevin Wills (1999). Stoudamire started his career with three straight double-doubles.
- The Raptors reached the 50-win plateau for the third straight season in 2017-18, ending the year with a franchise record 59 victories. Toronto finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time in team history and captured its fourth Atlantic Division title in the past five seasons.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green were teammates with Charlotte’s Tony Parker in
San Antonio G All three were part of the Spurs 2014 NBA Championship winning team G Bismack
Biyombo was part of the Raptors team that reached the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals G Canadian
Senior Men’s National Team head coach Jay Triano is in his first season as an assistant with the Hornets
G Hornets head coach James Borrego was an assistant coach with San Antonio last season.
Projected Starters
Hornets (2-1) | Raptors (3-0) |
Kemba Walker | Kyle Lowry |
Nicolas Batum | Danny Green |
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | Kawhi Leonard |
Marvin Williams | Pascal Siakam |
Cody Zeller | Jonas Valanciunas |
- The Toronto Raptors begin a three-game homestand Monday by hosting the Charlotte Hornets at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors are the only NBA team that is slated to play five of their first six games this season at home (Oct. 17-26). Toronto swept the season series against Charlotte last year, and eight of the last 10 meetings overall.
- Toronto starts a season 3-0 for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign when the team set a franchise record by winning five straight to open the year. The last time Toronto won three straight home games to start a season was in 2014-15.
- Kyle Lowry leads the Raptors with a career-best 12 three-pointers made through three games. His previous best was eight three-pointers to start a season. Lowry ranks second among Eastern Conference players for three-pointers made, trailing only Charlotte’s Kemba Walker (19). Lowry is shooting .600 (12-for-19) from beyond the arch, while Walker is shooting .500 (19-for-38).
- Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 28 points and 12 assists during Saturday’s 117-113 win on the road at Washington. Lowry’s 70 points through the first three games was one point shy of a his career-best 71 during the 2012-13 season and two assists shy of the 28 he recorded to start the 2011-12 campaign.
- Fred VanVleet has recorded at least 10 points while coming off the bench in three consecutive games (Oct. 17-21). A fourth straight game would mark his third-longest streak of 10-point games. VanVleet had a career-high nine straight games with 10 or points Jan. 28-Feb. 14 last season and a six-game streak Mar. 16-31.
- Kawhi Leonard recorded his second consecutive double-double with team highs of 31 points (10-25 FG, 2-5 3PT, 9-9 FT) and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes Oct. 19 vs. Boston. Leonard became just the third player in franchise history to post a double-double in their first two games with the Raptors; joining Damon Stoudamire (1995) and Kevin Wills (1999). Stoudamire started his career with three straight double-doubles.
- The Raptors reached the 50-win plateau for the third straight season in 2017-18, ending the year with a franchise record 59 victories. Toronto finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time in team history and captured its fourth Atlantic Division title in the past five seasons.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green were teammates with Charlotte’s Tony Parker in
San Antonio G All three were part of the Spurs 2014 NBA Championship winning team G Bismack
Biyombo was part of the Raptors team that reached the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals G Canadian
Senior Men’s National Team head coach Jay Triano is in his first season as an assistant with the Hornets
G Hornets head coach James Borrego was an assistant coach with San Antonio last season.
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