The Toronto Raptors and the New Orleans Pelicans will open their NBA season Wednesday night on a neutral court in Tampa, Fla.
Travel restrictions in Canada because of the COVID-19 pandemic mean the Raptors will play their home games at the Amalie Arena, home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. The arena will be dressed up to look like the Raptors’ home court at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, complete with their own floor and the 2019 NBA championship banner hanging from the rafters.
The teams also met in the season opener last season with the Raptors winning 130-122 in overtime at Toronto.
The Pelicans, who failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, have a new coach in Stan …
Keep on reading: Raptors welcome Pelicans to Tampa for season-opener