Toronto Raptors to tip off against Maccabi Haifa

Basketball season is once again just around the corner, and the Toronto Raptors released their NBA exhibition schedule this week.

Among the eight games is one Oct. 22 against Maccabi Haifa, who will be the Raps only international opponent this year.

Not since 2005 has Toronto's basketball franchise taken to the court against a visiting team from Israel. Maccabi Tel Aviv came to the Air Canada Centre that year and beat the Raps 105-103, marking the first time in 27 years that the perennial Israeli and Euroleague powerhouse had beaten an NBA team.

Fans of Israeli basketball will undoubtedly be out in force looking to see Maccaba Haifa, who lost the Israeli championship this year to Maccabi TA by a mere two points, to repeat their rival's 2005 win down in what Torontonians have dubbed Jurassic Park.