The Toronto Raptors could hardly have asked for a louder opening statement. Toronto beat the Chicago Bulls 135-92 at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night, pulling away early and never letting the visitors back into a game that doubled as one of the most anticipated homecomings in franchise history.
The night belonged in large part to Kawhi Leonard, whose return to the Raptors lineup — his first regular-season game for Toronto since the 2019 title run — was the headline attraction of the NBA’s first full slate of the season. Reports from the game said Leonard’s return "couldn’t have gone any better," and the home crowd treated every touch like a reunion.
Chicago, led on its own side by highly touted debutant Caleb Wilson, never recovered from Toronto’s early surge. The 43-point margin was among the widest recorded anywhere in the league on Wednesday, and it sent the Bulls home 0-1 while the Raptors start 1-0.
Toronto’s win capped a busy opening week in the NBA, which began Tuesday with Detroit beating Boston, Philadelphia winning at New York and Oklahoma City defeating San Antonio. The Raptors now look to build on the rout as the early-season schedule tightens.
