The time has come for the Toronto Raptors to kick off the 2026-27 NBA regular season in their opener tonight against the Chicago Bulls at 7:30 PM EST in Scotiabank Arena. Anticipation has built up all offseason with the increasing development of the extremely promising young core, along with the addition of seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard. 

After falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of last year’s playoffs, general manager Bobby Webster decided he was ready and willing to commit to putting this roster in its best possible position to contend for a championship. While they won’t be considered a favorite this season, they can still be looked at as a dark horse candidate to go all the way. 

That pursuit begins tonight, and the official NBA injury report shows the entire rotation is ready to go and make their mark in the competitive Eastern Conference right away. Only one member of Toronto is named, and it’s undrafted big man Nate Bittle, who is listed as out as he continues to work his way back from a right foot avulsion fracture that kept him out of the entire preseason. The Bulls, on the other hand, have a grocery list of players with different outlooks. Listed as probable are Tobe Awaka, Zach Collins, Leonard Miller, and Isaac Okoro; listed as doubtful are Dailyn Swain and Jordan Hawkins; and listed as out is Nic Claxton. 

Analyzing a matchup between two teams that have yet to play a real game is always going to be difficult, especially for a team like Chicago, which has added several new key pieces. In a conference with around 12 teams that believe they can win on any given night, the Bulls will likely be among the bottom three in the East. They feature a very young and inexperienced lineup, including the No. 4 and 15 picks in this year’s draft, Caleb Wilson and Swain, along with two new veteran starters, Norman Powell and Claxton. 

By looking at the preseason numbers, it’s clear this team will hang their hat on offense, especially outside shooting. Of the players who made at least one three-pointer per game in the preseason, Chicago saw seven different players shoot 40% or better from distance. Add in a high-level playmaker, Josh Giddey, and an All-Star-caliber scorer, Powell, and this team has a lot to account for on that end. 

Luckily for Toronto, there isn’t much to worry about when it comes to defending. This is a Raptors team that is expected to be at least a top-five defense in the NBA, largely because of the incredible defensive scheme led by head coach Darko Rajakovic and carried out by two-time DPOY Leonard and Scottie Barnes, who finished fifth in the DPOY voting last season. Add in the tenacious secondary defenders, Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and more, and there is really no weakness to exploit for opposing offenses, especially one playing its first game together. 

Chicago will be an excellent team to test the new-look Raptors offense with Leonard at the helm instead of two-time All-Star Brandon Ingram. Having more size and efficiency from all three levels will revolutionize the spacing of the team’s half-court offense. Barnes appears to be vastly improving in his jump shooting, particularly in the midrange off the bounce, so being able to match that with his adept ability to attack the basket and distribute to his teammates could prove to be the difference-maker this season. Expect all of these aspects to culminate tonight against a Bulls’ defense that doesn’t have much promise outside of Wilson and Matas Buzelis.