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With nine games left, including Sunday’s visit by Orlando, the Raptors are well positioned, but some areas of concern need to be addressed.
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Published Mar 28, 2026  • Last updated 5 minutes ago  • 4 minute read
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Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) shields the ball from Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 23, 2026, in Phoenix. Photo by Rick Scuteri /APArticle content
The top-four seeds in the Eastern Conference seem firmly ensconced, with the Detroit Pistons, arguably the NBA’s best feel-good story of the season, well-positioned to finish first for the first time in nearly two decades.
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The bottom four remain very much up for grabs.
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With the advent of the play-in tournament, finishing among the top six prevents a team from venturing into this realm.
Entering Saturday’s play, the Raptors find themselves in the No. 5 seed, a slot the Atlanta Hawks occupied when Toronto lost to the L.A. Clippers to cap off a 2-3 road trip.
Any loss this late in the regular season, coupled with any win from any of the competing sides, can change the standings, as evidenced by Friday’s results when the Hawks lost to the Celtics.
Of this muddled pack, the Hawks and Charlotte Hornets have been playing the best.
Orlando, which provides the opposition Sunday night as the Raptors wrap up a quick two-game homestand, snapped a six-game losing slide when the Magic beat a very bad Sacramento Kings team Thursday night, two nights after the host Hornets pummeled the Kings 134-90.
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Sacramento visits Scotiabank Arena on April 1 when the Raptors are all but assured of adding to their win total.
Fans will get to watch DeMar DeRozan, but other than seeing the former Raptor or watching Doug Christie, a former Raptor as well, coach the Kings, the night should not inspire any excitement from the visitors.
Nine games remaining, no telling where the Raptors will end up finishing, which includes the play-in, the schedule does tip in Toronto’s favour.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH
The season has shown that the Raptors aren’t good enough when playing a good team, their 41-32 record was built on taking care of business against bad teams.
Within the conference, only one win has been posted against eight defeats when matched up against Detroit, Boston and New York.
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The Raptors will face each team down the stretch, all three on the road, including a tip in New York in the penultimate game of the regular season that may not have any bearing on the Knicks’ playoff fate.
A two-game home set against the Miami Heat has the potential to be meaningful, but the Raptors do match up well, having twice beaten the Heat in South Beach this season by scores of 106-96 and 112-91.
At worst, the Raptors earn a split, at best, they achieve a sweep.
A game in Memphis is on the schedule, a season-ending home tip against Brooklyn all but circled as a win, it’s conceivable the Raptors are heading for at minimum a 45-win season, perhaps even as many as 47 wins.
Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram, left, works against Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 20, 2026, in Denver. Photo by David Zalubowski /APWHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN
The inevitable question of what it all means will be asked.
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The easy response would be to say nothing because this group will be judged in the playoffs and this season ultimately remembered by how well the Raptors do in the spring.
Based on the regular-season meetings against the top-three teams, the Raptors don’t have a chance in the opening round.
The Raptors never played the Cleveland Cavaliers with James Harden, but a Cavs-Raptors playoff matchup seems very likely.
Matchup-wise, it’s a good one for the Raptors, but we doubt a series win will be produced.
Force a six-game or better yet a seven-game series and this season should be viewed as successful with a handful of players evolving into rotational pieces.
The big picture will resolve itself.
For now, the focus must be on unlocking Brandon Ingram by returning him to that offensive catalyst and bucket getter he has embraced for the entire season until this rough stretch arrived.
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When the Raptors beat visiting New Orleans Friday night, it marked Ingram’s 70th game of the season, the most he has played since his rookie season with the Lakers in 2016-17, when Ingram appeared in 79 games.
Barring injury, it seems very likely Ingram will match his career-high.
While one back-to-back set awaits, the second game of the back-to-back is against the Kings.
Mind you, by the time the April 12 season finale rolls around, the home tip versus the Nets might not mean anything for the Raptors.
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Still, the Raptors need Ingram to revert to his high-level of offensive versatility and performance, while the Raptors need to get Ingram more involved.
He missed eight shots on 13 attempts in Toronto’s 119-106 win.
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In Toronto’s embarrassing loss in Phoenix, Ingram had arguably his worst game as a Raptor when he was held to six points, a season low and the fourth time he was held to single digits.
Two of those single-digit scoring nights came against Charlotte.
As talented a scorer as Ingram is and has been, he is not a good defender, which is why his offence needs to be on point in the remaining games.
An efficient Ingram on offence, coupled with his ability to draw defenders and the Raptors will avoid the play-in.
It will also give the Raptors some extra time to deal with Immanuel Quickley’s foot issue.
He’s missed the past three games, an absence that underlined Toronto’s weakness at point guard.
Starting Scottie Barnes at the point against an inferior team such as the Pelicans is one thing, but it won’t cut it in the playoffs.
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Quickley isn’t an ideal point guard because he’s more of a scoring guard, but his ability to make threes does open the floor for the likes of Barnes and Ingram.
Quickley is also good in transition, whether he’s looking to score or facilitate.
Heading into Sunday’s home tip versus the Magic, the Raptors are positioned to avoid the play-in.
The schedule helps their cause, but nothing is ever set in stone.
In Barnes’ rookie season in 2021-22, the Raptors finished fifth in the conference before losing in six games to Philadelphia in the opening round of the playoffs.
History may repeat itself.
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