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NBA's still a hit in Vancouver and here's what the Raptors said about it

Rob Williams
Rob Williams
|
Oct 11 2026, 4:06 am
NBA's still a hit in Vancouver and here's what the Raptors said about it
A sold-out crowd saw the Raptors and Clippers play Saturday afternoon in Vancouver. (Bob Frid/Imagn Images)

The Toronto Raptors took their show on the road, and it was once again a slam dunk in Vancouver.

The Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers played in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,872 at Rogers Arena Saturday afternoon. The pro-Raptors crowd went home happy, as Toronto was victorious 114-106.

Kawhi Leonard was in attendance but didn’t play. He instead sat on the bench in street clothes, as the Raptors patiently get him back into game shape.

kawhi leonard raptors vancouver

Kawhi Leonard didn’t play. (Rob Williams/Offside)

That didn’t seem to dampen the enthusiasm, as the crowd gave regular-season energy for the preseason affair.

While the Raptors get a warm welcome wherever they go in Canada, there does seem to be a special bond with Vancouver in particular. The Raptors have played in Vancouver three of the last four years, and seven times since 2012.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković said it was worth the long flight from Toronto.

“We’re super happy to be here,” Rajaković said post-game. “This time I brought my family with me because I was raving [about] how great a city Vancouver is, and every time when I come over here, I get even more surprised.

“What I’m really surprised [by] is how beautiful [the] weather is over here. Every time when we come, it’s sunny and everybody’s talking about rain, but I never seen it rain. We’re gonna keep coming back.”

The players were impressed with the fan support.

“It was great. It felt like a regular home game, honestly,” said Raptors point guard Immanuel Quickley, who scored 18 points in over 19 minutes of playing time. “Even being in the arena, it looks like Scotiabank [Arena] a little bit, and the fans are just great. It was a lot of fun.”

It was appropriate that Canadian RJ Barrett scored a game-high 20 points in over 23 minutes of playing time.

“It’s cool to be kind of Canada’s team,” Barrett said. “Every time, whether it’s Quebec or here or Calgary, the fans are supporting. It’s sold out everywhere we go. It’s amazing to have the support from them.”

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Shareef Abdur-Rahim made a surprise appearance, returning to the city where he played for five seasons, as a star for the Vancouver Grizzlies. The 49-year-old was shown on the big screen and got a huge ovation from the crowd.

He was clearly touched by the reception.

“It’s so special for me because Vancouver has been and is such a special place for me and my growth as a person,” Abdur-Rahim said in a television interview with TSN’s Raegan Subban. “I came here as a really young kid, and then the team left. But to know that the people of Vancouver still feel that way about me is really special. It made me feel really good.”

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