Top 10 Raptors Home Games: These Games Are Worth The Price of Admission

If you haven't seen LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama, or Stephen Curry in person, this season features some must-see games for Toronto Raptors fans

Apr 2, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball as Toronto Raptors forward Bruce Brown (11) tries to defend during the third quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

In a recent mailbag article, I was asked by a fan what the top 10 home games are for the Toronto Raptors next season and I figured it was such a good question I would flesh it out in its own article. Here's how I would rank Toronto's top-10 games this season if I were ponying up the cash to get tickets.

No. 1: Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 1

If you haven't seen LeBron James in person, you should probably do that soon. He's arguably the greatest player of all time and we don't know how many more opportunities there will be to see James play in Toronto. This is an early-season game and it won't be on a back-to-back for the Lakers, so there's a very good chance James plays in this game.

There may never be a player better than James and while he's no longer at the peak of his powers, you'll want to tell your children that you got to see James play.

No. 2: San Antonio Spurs on March 23

Just like with James, Victor Wembanyama is a must-see in person. I was in awe of him the last time he was in Toronto and if you can get into the arena early to watch him warm up, it's worth it. There's nobody else in the league like Wembanyama and he's only going to get better.

There should be plenty more opportunities to see Wembanyama in future years, but seeing him in his NBA infancy is still like nothing else. If you can get tickets to this game, you should go.

No. 3: Golden State Warriors on Jan. 13

This is really all about seeing Stephen Curry. Like James, Curry is heading toward the end of his career and he's the type of once-in-a-generation player you don't want to miss. The stands usually fill up pretty early when the Golden State Warriors are in town with people itching to see Curry's pre-game routine.

No. 4: Denver Nuggets on Oct. 28

There might not be a better player in the world right now than Nikola Jokic. If you want to see the league's best player doing things that nobody else can do, this is the game to go to. Jokic throws some truly remarkable passes and it's just a joy to watch him play.

No. 5: Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 7

Just like Jokic, Luka Doncic is ridiculously talented and amazing to see play. The way Doncic moves on the court is like nobody else in the league. He seems to play at his own pace and has this fascinating ability to control opposing defenses no matter what they throw at him. Take this opportunity to see Doncic in person.

No. 6: Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 5

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort always bring some Canadian excitement to Scotiabank Arena and an opportunity to see Gilgeous-Alexander play in person is a tough ticket to pass up on. The Thunder may be the best team in the West this year and they play an incredibly fun style of basketball. Gilgeous-Alexander may not be quite as good as Doncic or Jokic, but he also moves like few other players in the league and it's certainly fun to watch.

No. 8: Phoenix Suns on Feb. 23

Kevin Durant is a tier below James and Curry on the all-time list, but the Phoenix Suns' seven-foot superstar is still a must-see player in person. His combination of size and shooting ability makes him one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. With Devin Booker by his side, the Suns are one of the most offensively entertaining teams in the league and worth the price of admission.

No. 9: Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 25

This likely won't be Kyle Lowry's final game in Toronto, but I wouldn't leave it up to chance with that March 12th game against the Philadelphia 76ers. If you want one more opportunity to see Lowry before he retires, I'd suggest getting tickets to the Oct. 25 game. He hasn't said he plans to retire after this season, but there can't be too many Lowry seasons left.

At the very least, Joel Embiid is a pretty special player and he should be healthy early in the season. The new-look 76ers should be a fun team to see play, so I'd suggest checking out this game.

No. 10: Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 23

This is just because opening night tends to be particularly fun. From pre-game introductions to special half-time performances, there tends to be a lot of pageantry surrounding the first game of the season. There'll be plenty of optimism before tipoff on Oct. 23 and it's a good chance to see what'll hopefully be a Raptors team at full strength.