The first part 2020-21 NBA schedule was released on Friday. The second part of the schedule will be released at a later date as the league continues to try and navigate life through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Raptors, who will play their home games in Tampa, Florida (to start the season at least) will be on the road for the majority of the first half of the season. 20 of Toronto's first 37 games will be road games. The league likely weighted the Raptors schedule with more road games to start in the event that the team can return home to Toronto to play most of their games in the second portion of the schedule.
Last season, 17 of the Raptors' first 36 games were on the road, including a west coast swing which started eight games into the season in New Orleans. A game and trip Raptors fans will remember as the trip the injury bug hit as Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry and even OG Anunoby went down with an injury.
This season, the Raptors will begin their west coast trip seven games into the season and with a shortened schedule, those games may be more critical than ever in what will likely be a tight Eastern Conference playoff race.
| Date | Team | Time |
| Wed. Jan. 6 | @Phoenix Suns | 9:00 p.m. |
| Fri. Jan. 8 | @Sacramento Kings | 10:00 p.m. |
| Sun. Jan 10 | @Golden State Warriors | 8:30 p.m. |
| Mon. Jan 11 | @Portland Trail Blazers | 10:00 p.m. |
*All times eastern
The month of February may be the toughest stretch for the Raps as they'll play 15 games in total over the 28 days with 10 of them being away from home.
Toronto will also face the toughest travel situation in the first half of the year as they'll have to travel 21,466 miles through the first portion of the schedule according to Positive Residual.
The Raptors, temporarily based in Tampa, will travel the most miles (nearly 21,500) in the league through the currently released schedule that ends on March 4. https://t.co/kRbrpZsqh2https://t.co/sXbKg3CfDO pic.twitter.com/zc5briNKof
— Positive Residual (@presidual) December 4, 2020
Raptor fans shouldn't stress, however, as the team has fared pretty well against the West over the last three seasons, holding a 60-27 record in games against the other conference. Their record away from home overall hasn't been too shabby, either, as they tied the Lakers with the best road record at 27-9 a season ago.
Technically speaking, all of Toronto's first 37 games will be road games, but as Raps fans have become accustomed to seeing — the team usually plays better with a chip on their shoulders.
| Date | Opponent | Time |
| Dec. 23 | New Orleans Pelicans | 7:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 26 | at San Antonio Spurs | 9:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 29 | at Philadelphia 76ers | 7:00 p.m. |
| Dec. 31 | New York Knicks | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 2 | at New Orleans Pelicans (NBA TV) | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 4 | Boston Celtics | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 6 | at Phoenix Suns | 9:00 p.m. |
| Jan. 8 | at Sacramento Kings | 10:00 p.m. |
| Jan. 10 | at Golden State Warriors | 8:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 11 | at Portland Trail Blazers | 10:00 p.m. |
| Jan 14. | Charlotte Hornets | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan 16. | Charlotte Hornets (NBA TV) | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 18 | Dallas Mavericks | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 20 | Miami Heat | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 22 | Miami Heat | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 24 | at Indiana Pacers (NBA TV) | 3:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 25 | at Indiana Pacers | 7:00 p.m. |
| Jan. 27 | Milwaukee Bucks | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 29 | Sacramento Kings | 7:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 31 | Orlando Magic | 6:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 2 | at Orlando Magic | 7:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 5 | at Brooklyn Nets (ESPN) | 7:30 p.m. |
| Feb. 6 | at Atlanta Hawks | 7:30 p.m. |
| Feb. 8 | at Memphis Grizzlies | 8:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 10 | at Washington Wizards | 7:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 12 | at Boston Celtics | 7:30 p.m. |
| Feb. 14 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 6:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 16 | at Milwaukee Bucks | 8:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 18 | at Milwaukee Bucks (TNT) | 7:30 p.m. |
| Feb. 19 | at Minnesota Timberwolves | 8:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 21 | Philadelphia 76ers | 6:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 23 | Philadelphia 76ers | 7:30 p.m. |
| Feb. 24 | at Miami Heat (ESPN) | 7:30 p.m. |
| Feb. 26 | Houston Rockets | 7:30 p.m. |
| Feb. 28 | Chicago Bulls | 7:30 p.m. |
| Mar. 2 | Detroit Pistons | 7:30 p.m. |
| Mar. 4 | at Boston Celtics | 7:00 p.m. |
*All times eastern
*Bold = home games
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