NBA preseason action heads back to the North with the 2025 NBA Canada Series presented by Bell. On Monday, Oct. 6, the Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets will meet at Rogers Arena in Vancouver in the preseason opener for the Raptors and second preseason contest for the Nuggets.
What is the NBA Canada Series?
The NBA Canada Series presented by Bell began in 2012 and has featured 16 teams playing 19 preseason games in front of nearly 360,000 fans across six cities. The 2025 NBA Canada Series presented by Bell will mark the seventh Canada Series game in Vancouver and first since 2023, when the Raptors defeated the Sacramento Kings 112-99 at Rogers Arena.
When is the 2025 NBA Canada Series?
The preseason game between the Nuggets and Raptors will be held on Monday, Oct. 6, with tip off at 10 p.m. ET.
Where will the 2025 NBA Canada Series be played?
This year’s game will once again be played at Rogers Arena, which has hosted each of the previous six NBA Canada Series games held in Vancouver (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023).
How can I watch the 2025 NBA Canada Series?
The 2025 NBA Canada Series presented by Bell will air live in Canada, the U.S., and around the world on NBA League Passreaching fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital media and social media. The game will be available on TSN in Toronto.
Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images
What are three key storylines to know entering this matchup?
- Home-country advantage: The Raptors have appeared in 14 of the first 19 games of the NBA Canada Series and bring a 12-2 record into the 2025 edition. The Raptors have won six straight games in the series, with their last loss coming back in 2016. The team that beat them? The Denver Nuggets, who are looking to improve to 2-0 in the NBA Canada Series.
- Celebrating Canadian NBA talent: In addition to three-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokić of the Nuggets and All-Star Scottie Barnes of the Raptors, the 2025 NBA Canada Series will feature a trio of Canadians playing on home soil.
- RJ Barrett (TOR): The Toronto native joined the Raptors in Dec. 2023 after beginning his career in New York
- A.J. Lawson (TOR): The Toronto native joined the Raptors in Dec. 2024 after stops in Dallas and Minnesota to begin his career
- Jamal Murray (DEN): The Kitchener native was drafted by the Nuggets with the 7th pick in the 2016 Draft and helped lead Denver to the 2023 NBA title
“It’s always an honor and a pleasure to get to return home to play basketball in Canada,” said Murray. “I’m excited for the opportunity for myself and my team to face off against the Raptors in front of the basketball-hungry fans of Vancouver, it’s going to be a lot of fun!”
Murray and Barrett both represented Team Canada in the 2024 Olympic Games, while Barrett was part of the 2023 FIBA World Cup team that upset the United States in the bronze medal game to win Canada’s first medal at a global men’s tournament since the 1936 Olympics.
- Early look at new players on both rosters: The Raptors acquired Brandon Ingram from New Orleans at last season’s trade deadline, but an ankle injury kept him from suiting up for Toronto for the remainder of the season. Ingram entered training camp healthy and should be available to make his Raptors debut.
In addition to Ingram, the NBA Canada Series could mark the debut of Collin Murray-Boyles, who the Raptors selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. After an impressive showing in NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, how will CMB fare in his first preseason action?
For the Nuggets, they acquired Cam Johnson from Brooklyn and Jonas Valančiūnas from Sacramento via trades and also signed free agents Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown Jr., who returned to Denver after being a key piece in their run to the 2023 title.
Denver hopes the addition of these new (and returning) players around returning stars in Jokić, Murray and Aaron Gordon will be key to putting them back in title contention. This will be the second look at the new-look Nuggets after they made their preseason debut Saturday against Minnesota.
Where can I purchase tickets for the 2025 NBA Canada Series?
Tickets went on sale on Wednesday, Aug. 27 and can be purchased here.
Which teams have played in the NBA Canada Series in previous years?
- 2012: Raptors 107, Knicks 88 (Oct. 19, Montreal), Timberwolves 95, Pistons 76 (Oct. 24, Winnipeg)
- 2013: Timberwolves 104, Celtics 89 (Oct. 20, Montreal)
- 2014: Raptors 99, Kings 94 (Oct. 5, Vancouver), Raptors 83, Knicks 80 (Oct. 24, Montreal)
- 2015: Raptors 93, Clippers 73 (Oct. 4, Vancouver), Bulls 114, Timberwolves 105 (Oct. 10, Winnipeg), Timberwolves 89, Raptors 87 (Oct. 14, Ottawa), Raptors 92, Wizards 82 (Oct. 23, Montreal)
- 2016: Raptors 97, Warriors 93 (Oct. 1, Vancouver), Nuggets 108, Raptors 106 (Oct. 3, Calgary)
- 2018: Raptors 122, Blazers 104 (Sep. 29, Vancouver), Raptors 118, Nets 91 (Oct. 10, Montreal)
- 2019: Mavericks 102, Clippers 87 (Oct. 17, Vancouver)
- 2022: Raptors 114, Jazz 82 (Oct. 2, Edmonton), Raptors 137, Celtics 134 (Oct. 14, Montreal)
- 2023: Raptors 112, Kings 99 (Oct. 8, Vancouver), Pistons 128, Thunder 125 (Oct. 12, Montreal)
- 2024: Raptors 125, Wizards 98 (Oct. 6, Montreal)
