Raptors home opener: Scottie Barnes leads Toronto against Cleveland [Video]

Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors kick off the new NBA season tonight as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Barnes has been made the focal point of the team as the Raptors lean into a rebuild this season.

He averaged 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals last season to earn his first-ever all-star appearance.

Toronto has the toughest schedule to start the season of any NBA team.

Twenty of the Raptors’ first 25 games are against playoff teams from last year. Eleven of those teams made it past the first round.

The Raptors will be missing several key pieces against the Cavaliers.

Swingman RJ Barrett (sprained shoulder) of Mississauga, Ont., centre Kelly Olynyk (back) of Kamloops, B.C., small forward Bruce Brown (arthroscopic knee surgery), and rookie combo guard Ja’Kobe Walter (sprained shoulder) were all listed as out in Toronto’s personnel report.

This report by The …