The 2002–03 Toronto Raptors season was the eighth season for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Raptors acquired Lamond Murray from the Cleveland Cavaliers, acquired Lindsey Hunter from the Los Angeles Lakers, and signed free agents Voshon Lenard and Jelani McCoy. However, Murray suffered a preseason right foot injury, and would miss the entire regular season.
Early into the regular season, Vince Carter re-injured his left knee, and only played just 43 games this season. The Raptors played around .500 in winning percentage with a 4–4 start to the season, but then posted a six-game losing streak afterwards, and then suffered a 12-game losing streak between December and January. In January, the Raptors signed free agent Rafer Alston, as the team later on held a 14–34 record at the All-Star break. The Raptors lost their final eight games of the season, finishing in seventh place in the Central Division with a disappointing 24–58 record.
Carter averaged 20.6 points per game, while Lenard averaged 14.3 points per game, and Morris Peterson provided the team with 14.1 points per game, and also led them with 116 three-point field goals. In addition, Antonio Davis provided with 13.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while Alvin Williams contributed 13.2 points, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and Jerome Williams averaged 9.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Meanwhile, Hunter contributed 9.7 points per game, but only played just 29 games due to injury, Alston provided with 7.8 points and 4.1 assists per game, McCoy averaged 6.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and second-year forward Michael Bradley averaged 5.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Carter was selected for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Carter was voted as the starting shooting guard for the Eastern Conference, but later on gave his starting spot to All-Star guard Michael Jordan of the Washington Wizards. The Raptors finished tenth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 777,507 at the Air Canada Centre during the regular season.
Following the season, Lenard re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Denver Nuggets, while Hunter was traded back to his former team, the Detroit Pistons, and head coach Lenny Wilkens resigned after three seasons with the Raptors.
NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 20 Kareem Rush (traded to Los Angeles) Shooting Guard Missouri
Roster
Roster notes Center Eric Montross was on the injured reserve list due to a stress reaction in his left foot, and missed the entire regular season. Small forward Lamond Murray was on the injured reserve list due to a preseason right foot injury, and missed the entire regular season.
Regular season
Highs
Lows
Game log
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 | October 30 | Washington | | Morris Peterson (20) | Antonio Davis (16) | Alvin Williams (6) | Air Canada Centre20,165 | 1–0
|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 2 | November 1 | @ San Antonio | | Vince Carter (18) | Jelani McCoy (15) | Lindsey Hunter (3) | SBC Center18,787 | 1–1 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 3 | November 2 | @ Houston | | Lindsey Hunter (17) | Michael Bradley, Morris Peterson (7) | Alvin Williams (3) | Compaq Center16,285 | 1–2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 | November 4 | Chicago | | Alvin Williams (25) | Jerome Williams (12) | Alvin Williams (8) | Air Canada Centre17,441 | 2–2 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 5 | November 6 | Dallas | | Voshon Lenard (20) | Jerome Williams (9) | Lindsey Hunter (6) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 2–3 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 6 | November 9 | @ Indiana | | Voshon Lenard (22) | Michael Bradley (10) | Alvin Williams (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse15,365 | 2–4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 | November 12 | @ Orlando | | Alvin Williams (32) | Morris Peterson (12) | Voshon Lenard, Jerome Williams (4) | TD Waterhouse Centre13,402 | 3–4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 | November 15 | Denver | | Voshon Lenard (19) | Jerome Williams (9) | Voshon Lenard (6) | Air Canada Centre18,985 | 4–4 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 9 | November 17 | Utah | | Alvin Williams (20) | Antonio Davis, Jelani McCoy (8) | Alvin Williams (6) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 4–5 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 10 | November 18 | @ Atlanta | | Voshon Lenard, Morris Peterson, Alvin Williams (17) | Voshon Lenard, Morris Peterson (6) | Alvin Williams (5) | Philips Arena6,374 | 4–6 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 11 | November 20 | Indiana | | Voshon Lenard (22) | Antonio Davis (10) | Alvin Williams (6) | Air Canada Centre19,206 | 4–7 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 12 | November 22 | @ Philadelphia | | Antonio Davis (27) | Antonio Davis (12) | Alvin Williams (6) | First Union Center19,410 | 4–8 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 13 | November 24 | Philadelphia | | Alvin Williams (25) | Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams (8) | Voshon Lenard, Alvin Williams (5) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 4–9 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 14 | November 27 | New York | | Antonio Davis (20) | Greg Foster (9) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 4–10 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 | November 29 | @ Boston | | Morris Peterson (31) | Greg Foster (9) | Alvin Williams (11) | FleetCenter18,624 | 5–10
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 | December 1 | @ Memphis | | Vince Carter (27) | Antonio Davis (12) | Alvin Williams (8) | Pyramid Arena13,213 | 6–10 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 17 | December 2 | @ Dallas | | Alvin Williams (27) | Antonio Davis (9) | Alvin Williams (7) | American Airlines Center19,696 | 6–11 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 18 | December 4 | @ New Orleans | | Vince Carter (26) | Antonio Davis (11) | Jermaine Jackson (5) | New Orleans Arena13,342 | 6–12 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 | December 6 | Chicago | | Voshon Lenard (23) | Vince Carter (10) | Vince Carter, Alvin Williams (5) | Air Canada Centre18,862 | 7–12 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 20 | December 8 | Portland | | Vince Carter (25) | Michael Bradley, Jerome Williams (10) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre18,645 | 7–13 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 21 | December 11 | @ Cleveland | | Voshon Lenard (24) | Jerome Williams (8) | Lindsey Hunter, Jermaine Jackson, Voshon Lenard (4) | Gund Arena9,090 | 7–14 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 22 | December 13 | Seattle | | Lindsey Hunter (21) | Jelani McCoy, Morris Peterson (7) | Jermaine Jackson, Morris Peterson (4) | Air Canada Centre18,111 | 7–15 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 23 | December 15 | Washington | | Lindsey Hunter (22) | Jelani McCoy (10) | Voshon Lenard, Alvin Williams (5) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 7–16 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 | December 17 | @ Milwaukee | | Voshon Lenard (23) | Nate Huffman, Jelani McCoy (9) | Alvin Williams (7) | Bradley Center15,926 | 8–16 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 25 | December 18 | @ Chicago | | Morris Peterson (22) | Jelani McCoy, Jerome Williams (11) | Lindsey Hunter, Alvin Williams (4) | United Center16,111 | 8–17 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 26 | December 20 | Miami | | Voshon Lenard (19) | Jerome Williams (9) | Jermaine Jackson (3) | Air Canada Centre19,235 | 8–18 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 27 | December 22 | L.A. Lakers | | Morris Peterson (27) | Jerome Williams (12) | Alvin Williams (6) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 8–19 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 28 | December 26 | @ Seattle | | Voshon Lenard (27) | Jerome Williams (11) | Alvin Williams (6) | KeyArena16,139 | 8–20 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 29 | December 27 | @ Golden State | | Voshon Lenard, Alvin Williams (17) | Michael Bradley (15) | Voshon Lenard (4) | The Arena in Oakland16,487 | 8–21 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 30 | December 29 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Morris Peterson (18) | Jelani McCoy, Morris Peterson (5) | Alvin Williams (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 8–22 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 31 | December 30 | @ Utah | | Voshon Lenard, Morris Peterson (18) | Jelani McCoy, Morris Peterson (6) | Voshon Lenard, Alvin Williams (5) | Delta Center19,911 | 8–23
|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 32 | January 1 | @ New York | | Alvin Williams (15) | Jelani McCoy (15) | Alvin Williams (5) | Madison Square Garden18,540 | 8–24 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 33 | January 3 | Cleveland | | Alvin Williams (25) | Jerome Williams (18) | Lindsey Hunter (7) | Air Canada Centre17,667 | 8–25 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 34 | January 5 | New Orleans | | Morris Peterson (17) | Jelani McCoy (8) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre18,568 | 8–26 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 35 | January 6 | @ Detroit | | Antonio Davis (21) | Jerome Williams (15) | Morris Peterson (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills16,239 | 8–27 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 36 | January 10 | New Jersey | | Rafer Alston (17) | Jerome Williams (10) | Morris Peterson, Alvin Williams (4) | Air Canada Centre19,314 | 8–28 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 | January 12 | Minnesota | | Morris Peterson (20) | Jerome Williams (14) | Rafer Alston, Alvin Williams (8) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 9–28 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 | January 14 | @ Washington | | Morris Peterson (21) | Jerome Williams (20) | Rafer Alston (11) | MCI Center20,173 | 10–28 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 39 | January 15 | Milwaukee | | Morris Peterson (22) | Jerome Williams (17) | Rafer Alston, Antonio Davis (5) | Air Canada Centre18,357 | 10–29 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 40 | January 17 | @ New Jersey | | Morris Peterson (20) | Jerome Williams (15) | Rafer Alston (8) | Continental Airlines Arena17,107 | 10–30 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 41 | January 19 | Orlando | | Morris Peterson (25) | Jerome Williams (10) | Alvin Williams (9) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 10–31 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 42 | January 20 | @ Minnesota | | Voshon Lenard (22) | Jerome Williams (13) | Rafer Alston, Alvin Williams (5) | Target Center14,773 | 10–32 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 43 | January 22 | @ Indiana | | Voshon Lenard (19) | Jerome Williams (14) | Alvin Williams (9) | Conseco Fieldhouse15,488 | 10–33 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 | January 26 | Sacramento | | Vince Carter (22) | Jerome Williams (14) | Rafer Alston (7) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 11–33 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 45 | January 29 | @ New Orleans | | Voshon Lenard (16) | Antonio Davis (7) | Morris Peterson (6) | New Orleans Arena13,014 | 11–34 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 | January 31 | Indiana | | Antonio Davis (20) | Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams (10) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre18,977 | 12–34
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 47 | February 2 | L.A. Clippers | | Voshon Lenard (30) | Michael Bradley (11) | Alvin Williams (9) | Air Canada Centre17,862 | 13–34 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 48 | February 4 | @ Milwaukee | | Vince Carter (25) | Antonio Davis (16) | Vince Carter (4) | Bradley Center13,765 | 14–34 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 49 | February 12 | Atlanta | | Antonio Davis (22) | Jerome Williams (14) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre17,372 | 15–34 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 50 | February 14 | Golden State | | Voshon Lenard (26) | Antonio Davis (14) | Alvin Williams (10) | Air Canada Centre19,346 | 15–35 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 51 | February 16 | Orlando | | Alvin Williams (22) | Antonio Davis (11) | Vince Carter, Voshon Lenard (5) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 16–35 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 52 | February 19 | Detroit | | Morris Peterson (20) | Jerome Williams (17) | Alvin Williams (9) | Air Canada Centre19,140 | 16–36 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 53 | February 21 | Phoenix | | Antonio Davis (22) | Jerome Williams (13) | Alvin Williams (7) | Air Canada Centre18,695 | 17–36 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 54 | February 26 | @ Chicago | | Voshon Lenard (20) | Jerome Williams (11) | Alvin Williams (9) | United Center18,178 | 17–37 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 55 | February 28 | @ Boston | | Vince Carter (18) | Antonio Davis (14) | Rafer Alston (7) | FleetCenter18,624 | 17–38
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 56 | March 2 | Boston | | Antonio Davis (19) | Michael Bradley (13) | Alvin Williams (6) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 18–38 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 57 | March 4 | @ Washington | | Vince Carter (24) | Michael Bradley, Jerome Williams (7) | Antonio Davis (5) | MCI Center20,173 | 19–38 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 58 | March 5 | Houston |