AP
The Raptors are the first team to clinch a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals after a 30-point win over the Wizards on Friday.
Toronto has now won six straight and is 11-5, while Washington fell to 1-14.
As Eric Koreen of The Athletic noted, the Raptors locked up the No. 1 seed in East Group A thanks to their win and Cleveland’s victory over Indiana.
Toronto beat both the Cavaliers and Hawks earlier in group play and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over both.
The Raptors broke the game open with a franchise-record 48 points in the third quarter. Brandon Ingram finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
RJ Barrett added 24 and eight. Scottie Barnes contributed 23 and three steals, Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 23 in 21 minutes, and Immanuel Quickley posted 17 points and seven assists without a turnover.
“I think there’s a lot more to come,” Mamukelashvili told reporters. “I’m getting comfortable being me.”
Head coach Darko Rajakovic said the Raptors “have a mission and desire” to host a quarterfinal game as they push toward Las Vegas.
At 3-0 in group play with a plus-53 point differential, they’re positioned to do exactly that.
Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca noted that 13 of the 16 teams to reach the knockout stage the past two years went on to make the playoffs, and the other three reached the play-in.
That’s encouraging for a Raptors team trying to return to the postseason for the first time since 2021–22.
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