The Toronto Raptors are entering the final stage of preparations for the 2026–27 NBA season after participating in preseason games in Quebec City and Vancouver. The NBA Canada Games brought professional basketball to two Canadian markets during the opening weeks of October, with Toronto facing the Miami Heat at Videotron Centre on October 3 and the Los Angeles Clippers at Rogers Arena on October 10. The Raptors lost their opening exhibition against Miami by a score of 129–105, while the Vancouver fixture provided another opportunity to evaluate the team before the regular season.
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The Canadian preseason series has become an important part of the NBA’s efforts to connect with basketball audiences outside Toronto. The October 3 meeting marked the first NBA Canada Games exhibition held in Quebec City, while Vancouver hosted its eighth game in the series. Since the program began in 2012, it has brought professional teams to several Canadian cities and introduced local audiences to NBA competition without requiring travel to a regular league market. These events also give the Raptors opportunities to interact with supporters across the country.
Preseason basketball serves a different purpose from regular-season competition. Coaches can experiment with lineups, distribute playing time among established players and younger prospects, and assess how effectively different combinations operate together. Results remain part of the evaluation process, but exhibition records do not carry over into the regular-season standings. Individual performances must also be interpreted in the context of changing rotations, varied playing time and the different objectives teams may have during preparation games.
