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The Raptors are in danger of losing their final four games of a homestand if they don’t show a greater sense of urgency and toughness.
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Published Dec 06, 2025 • Last updated 11 hours ago • 4 minute read
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For anyone of a few reasons, Brandon Ingram has not been himself lately, and neither have the Raptors. Photo by Chris Young /THE CANADIAN PRESSArticle content
Sunday marks a dubious anniversary for Brandon Ingram, a time that set in motion the beginning of the end of his tenure in the Big Easy.
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It also paved the way for Ingram’s path to Toronto.
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We take you back to the third quarter of a game last season between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Having just returned from a right foot injury, Ingram landed awkwardly on Lu Dort’s foot 17 seconds into the period, twisting his left ankle.
He would never play another game for the balance of the season, let alone a minute for the Raptors once the trade to land the scorer was engineered.
There’s no doubt Ingram, this season, has been a presence on a Raptors roster that has its warts.
He’s been better than good on most nights, and, on occasion, elite when his shot-making and shot creation are unleashed.
The B.I. and Scottie Barnes tandem has shown flashes, but the on-court relationship remains a work in progress, given the small sample size.
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As long as RJ Barrett continues to be sidelined and Jakob Poeltl (back) remains unavailable second half of back-to-backs, no definite judgment on Toronto’s starting unit can be made, despite the moments when the group has played well.
Consecutive losses to the L.A. Lakers and Charlotte Hornets on Thursday and Friday have revealed some areas of concern.
Toronto’s five-game home stand continues with a Sunday date against a surprisingly strong Boston Celtics team that is coming off a pasting of the Lakers, That will be followed by a much-anticipated tip against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night in the NBA Cup quarterfinal.
An early four-game losing streak was quickly forgotten when the Raptors went on a nine-game win streak.
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Recently, however, the team has lost four of five games, including twice to the Hornets, the first in Charlotte when the Bugs didn’t lead until overtime.
On Friday night, once Charlotte took control in the second quarter, the outcome was never in doubt.
Ingram, meanwhile, has not looked himself of late.
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Perhaps it’s a function of his extended absence. Perhaps it has more to do with opponents locking in and taking away his space. Perhaps it has to do with Barrett’s absence and how his ability to cut to the basket worked well when the ball was taken out of Ingram’s hands.
Against Charlotte, Ingram had more turnovers (4) and more fouls (5) than makes (3) from the field. He also failed to get to the free-throw line either of the past two defeats.
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Regardless, Ingram hasn’t been the same and neither have the Raptors.
More urgency needed to avoid losing streak
It’s quite possible a second four-game losing streak will play out if a more heightened sense of urgency isn’t brought to the floor.
Keep in mind that the Celtics are playing well, having gone 11-4 following a 3-5 start. Also, keep in mind the Knicks have had Toronto’s number.
Confidence is waning with this Raptors group, which lost Jamison Battle to an ankle sprain Friday night.
The team’s mental toughness is beginning to be questioned.
In the ebbs and flows of an NBA season, these dips in performance become inevitable. The true measuring stick is how teams respond to adversity.
As of today, the Raptors find themselves in that look-in-the-mirror self-evaluation process because there’s no trade on the horizon to shake things up.
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The trade that did change the calculus involved Ingram. He’s shouldered a lot, but it’s time for Scottie Barnes to return to his role as the go-to option on offence.
As good as Ingram is when the ball is in his hands, he is not physically imposing like Barnes, who is a beast when he’s attacking the basket or operating from the mid-post.
Barnes had four turnovers Friday and hauled down three rebounds to tie a season low, while attempting zero free throws.
Things didn’t seem as good they may have appeared when the Raptors were winning nine in a row, mainly against bad opponents. And things aren’t that bad during this recent slide.
Surprising Celtics heating up
But these next two games should tell a lot about the physical and mental makeup of the Raptors.
Clearly, the Celtics are playing well.
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“We’ve got guys who are finding their stride, feeling confident and you can see it,” Jaylen Brown told reporters following Boston’s 126-105 rout of the Lakers, who did not have LeBron James (sciatica and foot) available, one night after he made the pass that led to L.A.’s corner buzzer-beater in Toronto, while playing a season-high 36 minutes.
Boston has been led by Brown, whose game has risen to an MVP level in the absence of running-mate Jayson Tatum.
During Boston’s 15-game run, Brown has averaged 30.4 points.Defensively, he remains among the best wing defenders.
“I think the expectation level has always been the same in my brain,” Brown said. “Just come out, compete and maximize our potential and kind of go from there.
“Don’t focus on the end result, focus on what you control and what’s in front of you. And that’s winning each possession, being the harder playing team, all that good stuff.
“It sounds boring, but that’s the type of stuff that leads to building a really good team.”
The Raptors would be advised to follow Brown’s lead.
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