Raptors set to kick off preseason against Warriors in Vancouver

This is the new normal for the Toronto Raptors: they're back in Vancouver for training camp and are seen as one of the top teams in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

When the Raptors first went west for their preseason preparations ahead of the 2014-15 season, they were trying something new as they tried to establish themselves as a legitimate playoff team. Since then they've run off their two best seasons in franchise history, last year reaching the Eastern Conference finals following a 56-win regular season.

With all the unprecedented success, there's no reason to change it up now. The Raptors open the preseason schedule Saturday afternoon at Rogers Arena opposite the Golden State Warriors, a team that made an offseason splash after suffering a crushing defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, despite winning an NBA record 73 regular season games.

The big addition, of course, is Kevin Durant, who signed with Golden State as a free agent. Durant, a seven-time All-Star and 2014 MVP, joins a lineup that features back-to-back MVP Stephen Curry, All-Stars Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and key role player Andre Iguodala.

The NBA world can't wait to catch a glimpse of it, and that includes the basketball fans in Vancouver. Tickets for Saturday's game were "gone in seconds" when made available to the general public.

It's the first of seven preseason games for the Raptors, only one of which will be in Toronto, which is Oct. 14 against Argentine team San Lorenzo de Almagro. The Raptors will also take on the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 3 in Calgary.

Expectations are high for a relatively unchanged team. Bismack Biyombo and Luis Scola left as a free agents and Jared Sullinger was the only notable acquisition. Toronto also drafted big men Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam in the first round.  It'll be tough to replicate last year's heights, but the Raptors are welcoming the challenge. And as Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and Jonas Valanciunas have proven each of the last two years, Vancouver is a good place to start.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for Yahoo Canada Sports. Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr