While there is still no news about the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard trade, we now at least know the team’s schedule and key dates for next season. The first big one—no matter the outcome of the trade—is definitely a meeting with the Clippers on November 2 in LA.Â
That game doesn’t just potentially mark Leonard’s first return to LA after the trade. It’s also the Raptors’ first back-to-back of the season. The Raptors have 15 back-to-backs next season, which is slightly above the league average of 14.2–more than you would like, but also not as bad as it could be.Â
Assuming Kawhi Leonard is on the team to start the season, the Raptors will be desperate to get him to the postseason healthy. Moreover, their lack of center depth makes a healthy season from Jakob Poeltl very important. Given both players’ injury history, the Raptors may not be comfortable playing them in both games of back-to-backs a lot—although Leonard actually played both games in nine out of fifteen back-to-backs last season. Poeltl only played both games three times.Â
Considering that they will probably have to manage two players’ regular-season minute load, their back-to-backs aren’t nearly as bad as they could be. For one, they don’t involve a ton of travel. Secondly, they rarely feature two contenders, making it easier to rest Leonard and/or Poeltl in one of the two games, or at least not play them a ton. All in all, the Raptors should be able to deal with them quite well.Â
The Raptors’ back-to-backs could be a lot worseÂ
When it comes to travel, the Raptors’ back-to-backs are rather gentle. Five of them will be at home, and the back-to-back against Miami and the one against the Lakers and Clippers won’t require any travel either. Only two of the back-to-backs feature teams in different conferences.
The Raptors’ schedule includes two back-to-backs that promise to be grueling. In November, they will have to face the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers on a back-to-back. Then, they will have to play the Detroit Pistons and 76ers in a back-to-back in March. However, the Celtics and Pistons will both have to face the Raptors on the second night of their own back-to-backs. Moreover, their back-to-back against the Miami Heat in March could be very tough—although there are still a lot of questions about the Heat’s actual potential this season—but they could find themselves in a similar situation with Giannis Antetokounmpo when it comes to back-to-backs.
Most of the other back-to-backs that feature teams expected to be contenders, like the New York Knicks or Indiana Pacers, have a middle-of-the-pack or below team on the other end. For example, the Raptors’ will face the Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back in January, but the first game is against the Chicago Bulls. Likewise, they start a back-to-back in March with the Pacers but wrap it up with the Sacramento Kings.Â
15 back-to-backs may sound tough for a team with two veterans who have struggled with injuries recently, but it doesn’t seem quite as bad anymore after a closer look.Â
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