Kicking off the 2018-19 season with a rematch versus the team that knocked you out of the playoffs the year before would normally be a white-knuckle affair for everyone involved — the team that lost, that won, and fans from both sides.
The Raptors will be doing just that Wednesday night against the Cavaliers, but without the shadow of LeBron James looming over the court (and the first opener that won’t feature one of Dwane Casey or DeMar DeRozan in almost a decade), it’ll be a wildly different atmosphere at Scotiabank Arena.