News Raptors Team Notes

[Toronto Raptors]

Toronto Raptors’ big three shows out against Memphis

If you decided to cure the Sunday scaries and post-Jays loss blues by watching the Toronto Raptors, you may have been able to tell they were at an immediate advantage tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. That’s because Ja Morant, the Grizzlies’ frontman, had been suspended for one game earlier in the weekend, and this was the game her served that suspension. After letting some frustration boil over last week, it was reported that Morant was suspended due to “conduct detrimental to the team.”

Memphis Head Coach Tuomas Iisalo told the media before the game that Morant’s suspension was a move made by the front office that was in line with the team’s values and supported by everyone in the organization. This isn’t the first time Morant has been suspended by the Grizzlies organization, either. While there is a lot to be contemplated about Morant’s future as a Grizzly, the show must go on, and Memphis had to figure it out without Morant for this road game.

Fun fact: tonight would have marked Ja Morant's seventh consecutive game for the Grizzlies.

He hasn't played in 7 consecutive games since the 2022-23 season.

— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) November 2, 2025

It’s not outrageous to say Morant’s suspension came at a pretty convenient time for the Raptors, too. They are 2-4, winning their Friday night game in Cleveland thanks to the heroics of Jamison Battle to break a four-game losing skid. Not having to deal with Morant was a lucky break as they attempted to extend that streak.

It’s also not egregious to say the Raptors have been lacking in several areas. Their defence is probably the biggest problem they have as a unit, allowing 123.3 points per game (before tonight), and Jakob Poeltl being out not only does not help that, but also has contributed to Immanuel Quickley being all out of whack. Darko Rajakovic wasn’t too worried about Quickley as he fielded questions before the game, saying that he will find his way one, when Poeltl gets back, and two, just by getting into the flow of the season more. In his words, “he’ll be fine.”

So coming into a game where your opponent’s star player is out is a good thing for this Raptors team. Murray-Boyles yet again subbed in for Poeltl in the starting lineup. It was clear pretty early on that the Raptors seemed to have more cohesiveness to their play tonight. Maybe they were inspired by the level of chemistry the Blue Jays have on this year’s squad, and wanted to bring some of the power of friendship back.

It worked, as the Raptors won 117-104, and many of the things they needed to do in order to be successful were executed.

Let’s take a look at three factors in the Raptors’ win tonight:

RJ Barrett is playing incredibly freely​

When the Barrett/Quickley for Anunoby trade originally happened, Barrett was looked at the the “throw-in” player, to make the money work. Oh, how that narrative has changed. Barrett is a different player now than he ever was in New York.

When Ingram joined the team, the idea around it was that his presence would free up his teammates on offence. People speculated Barrett’s role would decrease as a result. Instead, the opposite has happened, and Barrett seems to be playing more freely than he ever has before. It’s like the pressure being taken off of him has made him even better.

“He’s a guy who takes a lot of pride in what he does,” Darko said about Barrett after the game.

He scored 27 points on 10-19 shooting from the field, while having 6 rebounds and 6 assists. He was a team-high +19, just edging out Ingram to lead all scorers in the game.

Collin Murray-Boyles is going to be quite the NBA player​

The rookie came into the league boasting strength and great defence — and he has delivered. He is built like a tank. Tonight, he managed to score more, something he is working on with the Raptors’ coaching staff, as his offensive game is definitely less developed than his defensive game. Yet, just being seven games in, he seems to be progressing quite well.

Tonight he scored 15 points on 50% shooting from the field, making 7 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists as well. While he went 0-3 from distance, his shooting from beyond the arc will improve with time if his other stats are any indication. Despite being active in the post, as he tries to fill a Jakob-sized hole in the lineup, he also drew only 1 personal foul.

The Scottie + Ingram duo is delivering​

Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram are supposed to be this team’s leaders, with Barrett rounding out the top three. Just a glance at the box score from tonight proves that formula can work. Ingram and Scottie played well off each other tonight.

Barnes was tasked with helping fill the Poeltl void and stopping Jaren Jackson Jr. from getting his way. He did just that, holding the Grizzly to 20 points in a game he needed to step up in, with Morant out. Barnes scored 19 of his own points, made 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 blocks.

“He was just making winning plays,” Darko said about Barnes after the game, “he cares so much, he’s growing so much.” Coach emphasized how Barnes just gives the team whatever they need from him on any given night.

While Barnes was taking on a bigger offensive burden, Ingram did his job on the other end. He scored 26 points with 7 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. He was also incredibly efficient, shooting 10-15 (66%) from the field.

i just feel calm when brandon ingram has the ball 1 on 1. he just takes his time, gets to his spot and scores over the top.

— William Lou (@william_lou) November 3, 2025

The Big Three did their Big One tonight to make sure the Raptors came out on top while they had the opportunity to do so.

Can it last?​

That’s to be determined when the Raptors welcome the Bucks back to Toronto on Tuesday, after losing their home opener to them. If they can repeat a more well-rounded offensive and defensive performance? Maybe they can get a win. Yet, the Giannis factor is present.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-a...s-memphis-grizzlies-win-barnes-barrett-ingram

 

[Toronto Raptors]

The Rap-Up: Staying afloat and seizing opportunities

The Regular Season has barely gotten out of bed, and the rash of injuries is already piling up.

Last Friday, the Cavaliers were without Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Max Strus. That’s 80% of Cleveland’s starting lineup! On Sunday, the Grizzlies strolled into town without the injured Zach Edey, Ty Jerome, Brandon Clarke, and Scotty Pippen Jr. Memphis was further depleted after suspending Ja Morant for one game due to conduct detrimental to the team.

The Raptors aren’t in the clear either, as Jakob Poeltl missed the last 3 games with recurring back issues. Considering the number of injuries on their opponents, Toronto is relatively healthy. The team’s depth that was highly touted throughout the preseason came through as Jamison Battle’s perfect night beyond the arc (6-for-6) propelled the Raptors to victory and, subsequently, halted a 4-game slide. Toronto made it 2 wins in a row behind Brandon Ingram’s efficient 26-point outing against Memphis. It was already his 3rd game shooting 62% or better from the field.

With each of the first 10 games against teams that made the playoffs last year or project to make the playoffs this year (hello, San Antonio), the Raptors must take advantage of depleted teams in order to survive a difficult portion of the schedule. Coming up this week are a couple of games against teams dealing with significant injuries. Can Toronto continue capitalizing?

November 4 vs Milwaukee Bucks

Will this be the last time Toronto watches Giannis Antetokounmpo in a Bucks uniform?

I should probably stop making that joke. Not only is Giannis (stubbornly?) loyal to the city, but Milwaukee has been playing really well.

Doc Rivers has his team off to a solid start with victories over New York and Golden State. Milwaukee has the 4th-best offensive rating, thanks in part to 7 different Bucks averaging double-figure scoring. Efficiency is the name of the game in Milwaukee, with the team ranking 1st in FG% at the rim and 2nd in FG% from three.

Milwaukee should be tired as they’re playing the second game of a back-to-back. Or maybe they’ll be energized since last night’s game ended in a dramatic Giannis buzzer-beater.

GIANNIS HITS THE GAME WINNER AT THE BUZZER! pic.twitter.com/Tz0aoHxFXA

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 4, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

Antetokounmpo started his career losing 13(!!) of his first 14 games against Toronto. You can certainly see why conspiracies would start whenever Giannis would mysteriously miss a game against the Raptors.

He’s mostly atoned for it, winning 6 of the last 7 meetings in which he’s played.

Moving forward, they could all be wins for Giannis if he just joins Toron……okay I’ll stop now.

Prediction

When these teams met two Fridays ago, the Bucks carved up the Raptors’ defense in the 4th quarter, scoring 36 points and escaping with a 122-116 victory. Antetokounmpo was unstoppable, amassing 31 points, 20(!) rebounds, and 7 assists. Cole Anthony was a monster off the bench. The former Magic dropped 23 points, almost single-handedly outscoring Toronto’s bench (25 points).

If Poeltl misses his 4th game in a row, the Raptors will be hard-pressed to stop Giannis. As of this writing, Jak has been upgraded to questionable. If he can play, he may not be at 100%. Regardless, Toronto may have an answer (see Es’ typical great work below). Raptors avenge the early-season loss and defeat the visiting Bucks, but do not cover the -2.5 spread.

Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles LOCKED UP the Grizzlies tonight.

Why those 2 are the lynchpin for this team defensively + recapping a fun game! pic.twitter.com/XohloaTMl0

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) November 3, 2025

November 7 @ Atlanta Hawks

The Round Robin portion of the NBA Cup consists of 2 home games and 2 road games. As luck would have it, Toronto will avoid a former All-Star starter in each of its NBA Cup road games. Trae Young sustained a sprained MCL earlier this week and will miss at least 4 weeks. Ice Trae’s absence is another blow to Atlanta’s slow start. The Hawks were touted as a team to watch before the season started, thanks in large part to the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard, as well as the return of Jalen Johnson.

However, things have not gone according to plan in the A. In addition to Trae’s injury, Atlanta’s 3-4 start includes losses to a depleted Cavs roster, the surprising Bulls, and a season-opening drubbing at the hands of these Raptors. It’s still early, but the Hawks have the 5th-worst offense in the league. For context, Atlanta has been better than average for each of the last 5 seasons, including the 2021-22 season, where they finished 2nd. On the defensive end, the departure of Clint Capela is being exposed as opponents are grabbing more offensive rebounds than against any other team.

Fun fact that may only interest me

The Hawks may have the most multicultural team in the NBA. Here’s where each of the players was born:

• Australia: Dyson Daniels
• Belgium: Nikola Djurisic
• Canada: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Caleb Houstan
• Czech Republic: Vit Krejci
• Latvia: Kristaps Porzingis
• Mali: N’Faly Dante
• Senegal: Mouhamed Gueye, Eli Ndiaye
• Spain: Zaccharie Risacher
• USA: Jalen Johnson, Luke Kennard, Asa Newell, Onyeka Okongwu, Jacob Toppin, Trae Young

Asa has the pregame handshakes going crazy pic.twitter.com/Phx2UfoVei

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 2, 2025

Prediction

It goes without saying that this is a big game for both teams. For Toronto, the chance to steal another NBA Cup win against an opponent missing its best player, getting a second win in Atlanta, AND kicking off a 5-game road trip that could turn around a slow start is quite the motivation. Meanwhile, Atlanta will also be looking for its second NBA Cup win while trying to avenge the embarrassing season-opening loss. Toronto handled Atlanta easily a few weeks ago, and the Hawks are now without Trae. The Raptors win in Atlanta again, covering the +1.5 spread.

November 8 @ Philadelphia 76ers

This is the kind of start that should worry Eastern Conference teams. Paul George and Jared McCain have yet to play this season. Joel Embiid is currently in the Bermuda Triangle of NBA despair: unplayable on most nights, less than 100% when he’s on the court, and too expensive to trade.

Yet, Philadelphia sits atop the East standings!

Tyrese Maxey has been the best player in the league not born in Greece or Canada. Mad Maxey averaged a career-high 26.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds last season. He’s managed to increase those figures to 33.7 points, 9.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds! The Sixers may be without McCain, last year’s best rookie before getting injured, but his absence has not been felt because Philadelphia also has this year’s best rookie, so far, in VJ Edgecombe. The 3rd overall pick ranks 1st among all rookies in points, assists, and steals. Filling out the Sixers’ Big 3 (ugh, sorry for using that term) is none other than…..Kelly Oubre!?!?! The 10-year veteran is having a renaissance season so far. He’s averaging a career-high 63.5% eFG%, draining 62% inside the arc and 42% from three. This 3-headed monster collectively makes 9.5 threes per game on 43% shooting. Nick Nurse is fueling all of this by playing each of them A LOT. Maxey (42.5), Edgecombe (39.0), and Oubre (38.0) are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the NBA in minutes played.

Not to be outdone, the Sixers’ frontcourt is holding its own despite Embiid’s shortcomings. Andre Drummond leads the league in rebounds per 100 possessions. Adem Bona ranks 4th in blocks per game.

I truly hate that their tanking strategy paid off!

Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe pic.twitter.com/BgnrnW78hr

— Matt (@sixringsofsteeI) October 28, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

In each of the last 9 seasons, the league leader in minutes per game has averaged between 36.9 (LeBron James, 2017-18) and 37.9 (Pascal Siakam, 2021-22).

So far this season, each of the top 3 in minutes played is averaging 38 or more.

1. Tyrese Maxey (42.5)
2. VJ Edgecombe (39.0)
3. Kelly Oubre (38.0)

Prediction

The Sixers will have 2 days of rest before heading home and awaiting Toronto. The Raptors will be flying in late from Atlanta and playing the back-end of a back-to-back. Maxey, Edgecombe, Oubre, and Quentin Grimes are going to be a handful for Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Jamal Shead. You already know Nick Nurse will have a little extra motivation to beat his former team. The Sixers continue their hot start to the season, defeating the Raptors and covering the -7.5 spread.

Last week: 3-1

Season record: 5-2

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-a...raptors-games-november-3-9-bucks-hawks-sixers

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Day in the life of a basketball city: Tempo introduce Brondello and Raptors win

It was quite the day in Toronto Basketball. It started at 11 am, when the Toronto Tempo held a press conference to welcome their first franchise head coach, Sandy Brondello, to the team. It ended a few blocks away at Scotiabank Arena, where the Toronto Raptors played the Milwaukee Bucks. Sandy Brondello was also there, by the way.

If you live in Toronto, you know it’s a basketball city, and everything about this very fun, very long day proved that. The Raptors have had 30 years now to establish themselves in the NBA, and there is a general respect from most in the league about the place Toronto holds in the NBA history books. Obviously, the championship run is a big part of that, but this is a city opposing players love to come to, and where past and present Toronto Raptors have fond memories of.

The Tempo are already building that kind of reputation, which has been further solidified by the hiring of Sandy Brondello. A two-time WNBA champion coach, former player, Olympic player and coach, Brondello is one of the best coaches the WNBA has ever seen. She’s coached two other WNBA franchises, winning a title with both of them. She’s coached WNBA greats like Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart. The fact that a franchise that has not even played a game or signed a single player being able to get a coach of that calibre is impressive to begin with.

Brondello also had her pick of jobs and was offered head coaching jobs on “a few” different teams, in her own words. The two likely spots she was referring to are Seattle and Dallas, both with head coaching jobs available. In the end, she chose Toronto, explaining to the media earlier that it was the mix of a new challenge for her and the connection she formed with the front office that made it clear this was the spot she wanted to choose.

A hire like this just adds “aura” to the Tempo, as the kids would say.

Before the Raptors game, Darko Rajakovic said that he crossed paths with Brondello while she was the coach of the Phoenix Mercury and he was an assistant with the Suns. He praised her coaching ability and also said she’s a great person, mentioning that they’re getting dinner tomorrow to catch up.

Darko says he crossed paths with Sandy Brondello in Phoenix, has high praise for the Tempo’s new coach. Says they are getting dinner tomorrow as well. pic.twitter.com/DkkQrCk4rN

— chelsea leite (@chelsealeite) November 4, 2025

In a way, the Raptors represent what the future will look like for the Tempo. Dedicated fan base, great NBA city, championship-calibre franchise.

What was a historic day for the Tempo was just another game day for the Raptors, and soon that will be the reality for the WNBA franchise as well.

After spending the first half of the day on the women’s side of the sport, it was time to speed walk down Front Street to Scotiabank Arena for the Raptors to play against the Bucks. The Bucks were on the second night of a back-to-back, and you could tell. The only two players in double figures at halftime for Milwaukee were Giannis and Myles Turner.

Just a perfect Scottie Barnes game on both ends.

23-3-6 + 6 stocks and three threes in 27 minutes.

If he keeps playing like he has to start the year, forget All-Star, he's on an All-NBA pace.

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) November 5, 2025

The Raptors took advantage of that. RJ Barrett co-led all scorers again with 23 points, getting 8 rebounds, 4 assists and shooting 6-12 from the field. Scottie Barnes had 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists, playing extremely well defensively and helping to hold Giannis to just 22 points in the game. Brandon Ingram had a quieter game with 13 points, but made 8 rebounds and 4 assists — and the fact that the Raptors were up 20 in the second half made it so that he didn’t need to score any more.

The bench also contributed, with Mamukelashvili scoring 15 points and Gradey Dick with 14 points of his own. Even Immanuel Quickley, who has been struggling to score as of late, was able to score 15 points on 5-15 shooting from the field.

best performance of the season so far by the raptors through 3 quarters. bucks cut into the lead a bit but raptors have pushed it up to 25 through gorgeous ball movement.

nice to see gradey, IQ and Jakobe all bounce back and contribute.

— William Lou (@william_lou) November 5, 2025

It was a good win for the Toronto Raptors, ending at 128-100, a team who lost to this Bucks team a week and a half ago at their home opener. The win also brings them to an even record on the season, 4-4, as they head out on the road for the next few games.

The next time the WNBA plays in the regular season, Sandy Brondello’s Toronto Tempo squad (whoever they may be) will be playing. These normal Tuesday night games for the Raptors will soon be normal for the Tempo, something it feels like the city has been waiting for forever. With the Raptors on the rise this year, hopefully in a position to make the playoffs this season, the Tempo won’t be far behind in their quest for a postseason run and eventually a championship.

Even the most mundane of Tuesdays is a day full of basketball when you live in Toronto.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/toronto-w...-tempo-brondello-bucks-giannis-barnes-barrett

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Opinion: Booing has a rightful place in sports

The thoughts of most Torontonians could not be further removed from the NBA right now. The 6ix is now, for the first time in nearly a decade, a bona fide baseball city. World Series Mania has consumed Canadians, and with good reason. The Blue Jays really are Canada’s team, just like the Raptors, and when a national representative goes up against an American juggernaut, some interesting sentiments are revealed.

Let’s take it back to early 2025, when the imposition of American tariffs resulted in a wave of booing across Canadian basketball and hockey teams when American teams came to town. When asked about the fan behaviour, Canadian player, then Raptor, now Boston Celtic Chris Boucher delivered the rhetorical question, “have you ever seen us getting taxed like that?” The NHL’s 4 Nations Face Off saw much the same in the stands, coupled with a number of hockey fights in the Canada-US matchup. This was reminiscent of the Canadians booing American teams after the Iraq War was started in the early 2000s. In short, it was clear that North America was experiencing some meaningful division across the 49th Parallel.

In the ensuing months, the animosity largely died down. Crowds at Scotiabank Arena have gone back to cheering for the singers of the Star Spangled Banner, but the return to normalcy hasn’t necessarily happened on both sides of the border. During the American League Division Series, the roles were reversed, and the Bronx faithful started booing the Canadian national anthem at the beginning of Game 3. This did not happen back in Toronto, however, and even during the World Series, where tensions are at their highest, there was no anthem booing by Canadian fans.

What irks me the about New Yorkers booing the specifically the anthem (not even heckling the Blue Jays, to be clear!) is that the original sentiment of the booing was meant to reflect the pain of Canadians being threatened with economic attacks and annexation by the United States. While sports are always in some way political, Canadian booing was an overt expression of frustration and anxiety about international trade and sovereignty, rather than a means of attacking a nation’s culture over your baseball team being down 2-0 in a series. Rivalries are a big part of what keeps sports interesting, but the oppressor mimicking the oppressed over a baseball matchup is in poor taste. In ideal circumstances, there would not be any booing of anthems at all! That energy would be better focused on cheering for your team and putting down opponents, but rather, because of extraneous political factors, sports fans are dragged into an economic disaster, and react to the discomfort by standing up for themselves, pretty much the only way you can in an arena.

I am all for the adoption of aggressive, European-style fan behaviour. What Victor Wembanyama is spearheading in San Antonio with a football-style supporter section is exactly what the league needs more of. The creation of The Wall in Los Angeles, with this hyper-focused group of fans meant to psych out whoever is on the road against the Clippers, is a great idea as well. This force being focused on an opposing team is a fantastic thing, and is something I hope will bring even more excitement into the NBA, especially as a spectator in the stands. In an ideal world, mutual respect from one country to another would be reflected in the conduct of a team’s supporters, but we do not live in an ideal world. In modern society, political vitriol spills into the world of athletics and, in a multinational league, causes regrettable divisions between countries that have been allied for as long as they have.

Every time I go to a Raptors game, I must admit, I am a little disheartened when I see everyone rise and cheer for the singer of the American national anthem. The matters of trade and economic bullying that sparked the initial wave of protests are nowhere near resolved. The President is still throwing his country’s economic weight around, with no sign of an end to this behaviour and no regard for how it will affect lives on both sides of the border. While it may not be happening in the NBA, American sports fans are booing the Canadian anthem, while we play to our stereotypes and remain polite in the face of disrespect. I want Raptors fans to think about what they are standing for the next time they attend an NBA game in person, and remember that while you may be part of a crowd in a stadium, you don’t need to show support for something harming you.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/general/4...jays-yankees-intuit-dome-the-wall-fan-section

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors HQ Staff gives raw opinions on Toronto Raptors City Edition Jerseys

It’s that time of year: NBA City Edition jerseys. You either love or hate your team’s edition of the jerseys every year, which is fair given that teams take some… artistic liberties on the designs.

The Toronto Raptors have been through a few iterations of their city threads. For a long stretch there, the team leaned VERY far into the “OVO” black and gold look, until they had literally wrung that colour scheme dry. Last year, the Raptors arguably had the best city edition jerseys in the league, with a black-and-purple design featuring the Vince Carter Raptor, and they came with a BEAUTIFUL city edition court.

Pour one out for the Vince Raptor purple and honey oak court, we miss you angel </3

I just miss this court, okay pic.twitter.com/4JzUb7v8Xc

— chelsea leite (@chelsealeite) October 24, 2025

It’s time for another year of city edition jerseys, and the Raptors have decided to retreat from purple… again. For some reason. That I will never understand.

This year’s Raptors City jerseys are similar in design to last year’s, with a few updates. First, the Raptor is back to his original stance, instead of the Carter Dunk pose he took up last season. The Raptor is also wearing a red and white jersey this year, with the number 19 — not to celebrate Jakob Poeltl, but to remember the 2019 championship season. The jersey he is wearing is specifically the Raptors jersey from the championship season.

The black pinstripe background is the same as in previous editions, and they have brought back the word “Toronto” in the design, rather than the simpler look from last season. The details are in silver, with silver borders and the player names on the back in silver.

First official look at the Scottie Barnes Toronto Raptors City Edition NBA Swingman Jersey pic.twitter.com/bztiaX4m2S

— Stashed Drop Updates (@ImagesByStashed) November 4, 2025

The Raptors HQ staff has… some opinions on the threads. Let’s get into them!

Chelsea: 7/10

I don’t hate them, but it’s hard to compete with last year’s edition. The fans constantly scream about how much they love the purple elements from the early days of the franchise, and we keep going back to red and white… why? Plus, to tease us throughout the 30th anniversary celebrations by bringing back purple just to take it away again? MEAN.

Taking away that element of it, they are pretty cool. I like that we have kept the Raptor on the front over the past few seasons, and I like that we have retreated from the OVO colours. It does kinda look like when you use that feature on a 2010’s digital camera, where only one colour comes through and the rest is desaturated. Maybe if the borders on the neck and sleeves were red as well, it would be less like that. I also really like the nod to the championship jersey, even if it feels like a nod to Poeltl??

These also feel like they will look WAY better in person.

Jay: 6.5/10

It’s like the glow in the dark design… without the cool glow in the dark feature. It’s like the Canadian flag… without enough red or white. It’s like past city edition jerseys… without a wow factor.

(Editor’s note that Jay was unimpressed, if you couldn’t tell)

Kristian: 7/10

The jersey isn’t amazing, but it’s still cool. I actually would prefer they come back with the 2019 North Earned jersey that the Raptor is wearing in this edition. Can someone help me find that jersey? I regret not purchasing one during the championship run…

Anyway, when we make the playoffs, we will have deserved a better alternate jersey.

Note: if you have a 2019 North Earned Raptors jersey you wanna sell to Kristian, reach out.

Joe: 8.5/10

It’s a fun way to blend the ’90s look with honouring the championship! The black and white is slightly dull, but overall, I am happy with it.

Don’t, however, let this distract you from the fact that the team needs to abandon the chevron on their regular jerseys immediately.

Julian: 8/10

I like the homage to the championship run, but design-wise, it looks pretty washed out because of the white dino. The font is great, though.

Rebecca: 5/10

I feel like they are gatekeeping what the fans actually want as well. I like the Raptor on the front, but the whole jersey within a jersey thing isn’t my favourite, and it feels really desaturated. There’s been some really good ones around the league, and I hope that maybe it’s our turn soon.

(Editor’s note: I think our time was last year, tbh)

What do you think about the Toronto Raptors City Edition jerseys this season? Let us know your thoughts below!

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/general/4...nions-on-toronto-raptors-city-edition-jerseys

 

[Toronto Raptors]

The Toronto Raptors are contenders in the NBA Cup for the first time

We’ve had the NBA Cup now for a few seasons, and it’s not a secret that drumming up excitement for it has been… difficult. Now, public NBA Cup truther and SB Nation NBA manager Harrison Faigen has been preaching about the NBA Cup since the LA Lakers won the first edition, and I never understood why… UNTIL NOW.

The Toronto Raptors are contenders in their pool for the first time, and this could be… FUN?

Since the inception of the NBA Cup, the league’s in-season tournament, which really doesn’t mean anything apart from making some extra money if you’re a player, the Raptors haven’t been good. It’s been tank city over here. Tanking so hard that even the idea of winning an NBA Cup was too much winning. Now? Now things are different.

Toronto is in Pool EAST A with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, and Atlanta Hawks. Their first game was against the Cavaliers, which they shockingly won, 112-101. Don’t remember? Fair, because it was during Game 6 of the World Series and you were likely watching the Blue Jays.

Thanks to Jamison Battle, the Raptors are 1-0 in NBA Cup play. They play the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, and the winner will be 2-0 with a large point differential on top of that. Plus, neither team has played Washington (the forever tankers), and with that most likely being a win for both Atlanta and Toronto, the winner of tonight’s bout is likely to have an advantage.

HUGE Cup Game in ATL tonight. Hollinger explains pic.twitter.com/XyLJyX2zFd

— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) November 7, 2025

Both Cleveland and Indiana are 0-1 in cup games, and Washington hasn’t played one, so if Toronto wins tonight, they will top the group at 2-0.

Now, let’s remember the last time the Raptors played the Atlanta Hawks. It was the first game of the season, when they trounced them 138-118, and Raptors fans thought we were seeing the shiny pearl gates of heaven. The Hawks virtually played no defence, and the Raptors have only improved since. Per Keerthika Uthayakumar, the Raptors have improved by holding teams to 101.7 points in their last three games, compared to the 127.8 points per game they allowed in their first five games:

Raptors are holding teams to 101.7 points in their last 3 games after allowing teams to score 127.8 points over their first five games of the season.

They've won three straight by an average of 17.3 points.

— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) November 5, 2025

Safe to say signs are pointing to the Raptors having the advantage to get ahead in the NBA Cup this year. Hopefully, the magic from the season opener can be repeated in Atlanta tonight.

So, what happens if the Raptors win their NBA Cup group?

Well, these days, the NBA only schedules each team 80 games per season to start with. Those final two games are determined by the results of the NBA Cup. In years past, when the Raptors were eliminated from Cup contention, they simply scheduled two games in that open week against two other losing teams.

If Toronto wins its group or does well enough to be one of the best second-place teams, they make it to the quarterfinals. The Cup quarters and semis will still count toward their regular-season record if they play both. If they lose the QF, they just make up a regular-season game with another losing team. The only game that won’t count toward the regular season would be if they made it to the Cup Final game. That’s a bonus one. None of the stats or scores will affect the Raptors’ season. They could win some cash, the trophy, a banner, and give me some bragging rights to Harrison (who cares about it more than anyone I’ve ever known).

Cup games are on Fridays and Wednesdays this year. After Atlanta on Friday night, the Raptors will still have to play Indiana and Washington to determine their fate in the tournament.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...tlanta-hawks-cavaliers-pacers-wizards-preview

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Brandon Ingram fined by NBA for slamming water bottle

The Toronto Raptors played back-to-back road games in Atlanta and Philadelphia over the weekend, winning a crucial NBA Cup game on Friday and losing to the 76ers on Saturday. Yet, one of the biggest narratives to come from the weekend was an incident involving Brandon Ingram. Now, the NBA has announced Ingram will be fined $25,000 for his actions.

After being issued the team’s second delay-of-game warning in Philadelphia on Saturday night, Ingram was caught on camera slamming a water bottle on the ground on the bench. It bounced off the court, coming up to hit a towel boy and spraying whatever was in the bottle all over that staff member, Scottie Barnes (who had been sitting in front of Ingram on the floor stretching), and making a mess. The video then continues to show members of the bench and staff cleaning up the mess while Ingram sits there watching.

Brandon Ingram threw his drink after the Raptors got a delay-of-game call and it exploded all over Scottie pic.twitter.com/usHPQxrFEi

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 9, 2025

Obviously, a moment of frustration for Ingram, who looked like he got shaken up in the previous play and needed a second to walk off a sore leg, leading to the penalty for delaying the game. Still, not the right way to react, and then seemingly show no remorse after hitting someone with the bottle and not helping to clean up. It’s been the talk of the weekend and Monday, with people giving their opinions on the incident.

The NBA has also weighed in, issuing Ingram a $25,000 fine for the incident:

Brandon Ingram has been fined $25K for the water bottle incident. pic.twitter.com/e9QYii6cEw

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) November 10, 2025

The Toronto Raptors have yet to put out any sort of reaction or statement about the incident, but maybe the public announcement of the fine will cause them to. The team is in Brooklyn at the moment and will play the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. You have to assume Darko Rajakovic will be asked about it in availability before then.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-news/48470/brandon-ingram-fined-water-bottle-toronto-raptors

 

[Toronto Raptors]

WNBA Mock Draft Round Up: Who is in Tempo range?

Last week, the WNBA announced it will be holding the WNBA Draft Lottery on November 23rd. This will determine the order of the first five picks of the 2026 WNBA Draft. Teams picking are the Dallas Wings, Minnesota Lynx (who own Chicago’s pick), Seattle Storm (who own the LA Sparks’ pick), Washington Mystics, and Chicago Sky (who own the Connecticut Sun’s pick). That is also the order of who has the best odds to win the No. 1 overall pick, with Dallas having the best odds for the second year in a row.

For Toronto fans wondering how the Toronto Tempo fit into this, they will pick directly after the lottery, per expansion rules. With five lottery teams this year, the two expansion teams (Toronto and Portland) will have the first two picks after the lottery, six and seven. Since Toronto was announced as the first expansion franchise, they will likely get No. 6, and Portland will get No. 7. Then, the rest of the draft will be ordered as normal. After announcing the hiring of Sandy Brondello as their head coach last week, the Tempo can finally shift their attention to building out their roster.

Now, as the NCAA college season starts, mock WNBA drafts are starting to pop up. As the season continues, we will get a clearer picture of who could be available at No. 6 for the Toronto Tempo to select. Let’s round up who some of the big mocks have at the No. 6 spot:

• ESPN: Ta’Niya Latson (South Carolina)
• Tankathon: Awa Fam (Valencia)
• Bleacher Report: Ta’Niya Latson (South Carolina)
• CBS: Awa Fam (Valencia)

Awa Fam – Valencia​

Awa Fam is an international basketball prospect who will be 19 at the time of the draft and from Spain. She plays in the Euroleague for Valencia, and was their youngest ever player when she signed on at 15 years old. Per international rules, she will be eligible to declare for the 2026 WNBA Draft and immediately come play in the league.

She is a 6-foot-4 centre, and like most basketball players coming from Europe, is extremely versatile in the way she uses her athleticism, handle, and vision to be more dynamic than the average post player. She can shoot from distance as well, and went 2-2 from three in a recent Valencia game versus Fenerbahce where she also shot 7-11 from the field. To be honest, she likely won’t hang around as low as No. 6 for very long, as mock draft makers and scouts start to realize how good she really is for her age. She has the potential to boost in stock and even threatens to overtake Lauren Betts for the consensus No. 1 prospect in this draft.

If Toronto can get Fam on their inaugural team, it would be a long-term move in securing a core player for them for the next 4+ years. With an international prospect like Fam, who will be just 19 years old when she enters the league, the development process can take a little bit longer, but Fam is already a little ahead, having professional experience overseas.

Ta’Niya Latson – South Carolina​

Another name frequently at the No. 6 spot is Ta’Niya Latson, who just transferred from Florida State (Scottie Barnes’s alma mater) to South Carolina (Collin Murray-Boyles’s alma mater) for her final year of NCAA eligibility. Latson is an extremely talented offensive threat and was the best scorer in the country last year.

During her 2024-25 season with the Seminoles, Latson averaged 25.2 points per game and had some big moments in ACC play. She shot 45.1% from the field and 34.3% from three that season as well. Yet, knowing her potential and knowing she had one last year in the NCAA to boost her draft stock, she decided to transfer out of Florida State. She picked South Carolina, the current No. 2-ranked program in the country, to spend her last year, knowing how Dawn Staley produces top WNBA prospects.

Latson spent her summer levelling up with the Gamecocks’ training staff as well, increasing her jumping height, sprinting speed, and strength. In the Gamecocks’ 114-47 win over Bowling Green last week, Latson scored 17 points, a nice follow-up to her opening game performance of 20 points on 70% shooting from the field.

No matter who Toronto picks up in the expansion draft and free agency, drafting Latson could give them some solid depth at the shooting guard position. She knows how to find ways to score no matter her opponent, and she always found ways to lead her team to victory when she was playing at Florida State. Now on a more balanced South Carolina team, she is still finding her spots and getting points on the board.

As the college season progresses, these mock drafts have the potential to change — yet right now, these are two solid prospects for the Toronto Tempo.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/wnba-cont...-tempo-prospects-ncaa-valencia-south-carolina

 

[Toronto Raptors]

The Rap-Up: Closing out the road trip in style

When you eat an Oreo cookie, which part do you prefer? Are you like my wife and eat the cookies or do you want all the sugary goodness in the middle like me?

Whatever your choice (you’re hungry now), I may have to change mine. Temporarily.

The week ahead for the Raptors sees a pair of “cookie” matchups — the Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers have combined to lose 18 of their first 20 games — sandwiched around a not-so-sweet matchup in Cleveland.

If Toronto falls to either of Nets or Pacers, feel free to blame me for jinxing the team. Also, if the Raptors beat the Cavs, I will also take credit for reverse-jinxing the team! Wait, did I just undo the reverse-jinxing by calling it out? My brain hurts. Somebody give me some Oreos.

For the city that made us.
: https://t.co/jWzAqslTUn pic.twitter.com/fQM42esqhU

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) November 10, 2025

November 11 @ Brooklyn Nets

Quick, name 5 Brooklyn Nets! Michael Porter Jr…….Nic Claxton…………..Cam Thomas……………………….does Jordi Fernandez count?

The Nets are tanking. Again. Last season, Brooklyn, like Toronto, tanked its way into the lottery and, again like their Atlantic Division rivals, were leapfrogged by a pair of Texas teams. The Raptors are clearly happy with who they drafted, as Collin Murray-Boyles has already established himself as a rotation player, is closing games, and looks like a future All-Defense mainstay.

For Brooklyn, Egor Demin is going through the motions of a rookie season. His turnover rate (19.3%) is one of the worst among Point Guards. Despite being taller than most at his position (6’8), Demin’s shot chart shows someone afraid of getting in the paint. Demin is in the 6th percentile in drawing shooting fouls, and 78%(!!) of his shots are from three. Fernandez inserted the rookie into the starting lineup over the last two games. With Cam Thomas out for the next 3-4 weeks, Demin will get some extra playing time to develop.

Porter Jr. deserves some credit with how he’s started his Nets career. After being traded from a championship contender in Denver to lottery-bound team in Brooklyn, no one would be surprised if Porter Jr. played hero-ball and drove up his counting stats. While he is shooting and scoring more than ever before (4.5 more FGA and 5.1 more points than last season), MPJs splits are still decent, 47/37/79. His assists have also ticked up to a career-high (yes, it’s only 2.6 assists but you try remember him ever passing as a Nugget).

The Nets and Nuggets might've both gotten what they needed out of the Michael Porter Jr.–Cam Johnson trade.

Brooklyn handed MPJ the keys, and he's running with it.

Three 30-point games already, showing the kind of scoring flashes everyone's been waiting for. He looks confident,… pic.twitter.com/Tnf6TqdAm7

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 10, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

Brooklyn is one of the 12 stops along Garrett Temple’s career. He is at least 10 years older than any other player on the Nets roster. (To be fair, he’s also 10 years older than every Raptor other than Jakob Poeltl) Temple has 15 years of experience and has played in 771 games.

Tyrese Martin spent the 2023-24 season entirely in the G League. This past November, he set a Nets franchise record for most points by a two-way player, as he lit up Phoenix for 30 points. In February, Martin’s two-way contract was converted to a standard contract.

Martin is the 3rd-oldest player on the Nets roster.

Prediction

The Raptors continue its 5-game road trip with a one-day rest advantage over the Nets. Brooklyn is winless at home with their only victory occurring last week in Indiana — where Toronto will play to wrap up this week’s games.

In addition to Thomas’ absence, Brooklyn will also be without Haywood Highsmith, who has yet to play this season. Day’ron Sharpe is questionable with a hamstring injury.

There really isn’t much to overthink about this matchup. Brooklyn has the worst defense in the league, giving up 125.5 points per game. The Nets rank 29th in shots allowed at the rim, 30th in corner threes allowed, and 30th in opponents’ 3-point FG%. Toronto should win this game but I’ll be cautious and predict Brooklyn covers the +10.5 spread.

November 13 @ Cleveland Cavaliers

When Toronto went into Cleveland two weeks ago and upset the Cavaliers, it was a rare scenario where neither city seemed to care. In Toronto, all eyes were glued to the Blue Jays, who were playing a possible World Series-clinching Game 6 (ahh damn, I’m crying again). Cleveland played the game without Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, and Max Strus. This was probably the lowest-leverage game to ever kick off the NBA Cup schedule!

The fact that Toronto won the game was positive for multiple reasons. The Raptors halted a 4-game losing skid which certainly conjured up memories of the last season’s tankathon. Grabbing the first win (and subsequent win in Atlanta last week) put Toronto in the driver’s seat in NBA Cup Round Robin play. The Cavaliers are legitimate contenders to make the NBA Finals, so taking advantage while they are severely short-handed could be the only way to defeat them this season.

Donovan Mitchell is off to a hot start this season. He’s averaging more points (30.4), three-pointers (4.2), field goals (10.4), and PER (25.6) than ever before. After missing the one game against Toronto, Mitchell’s return to the lineup in the subsequent game kickstarted a four-game win streak for the Cavs. A streak that came to a thrilling end on Monday night.

THE ENDING OF THE HEAT VS. CAVS GAME WAS ABSOLUTE CINEMA



(VIA @NBA)

pic.twitter.com/pu625AXtqE

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 11, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

Dean Wade: born in Wichita, Kansas on November 20th. Played all his high school and college basketball in the state of Kansas. Received high basketball honour (Mr. Kansas Basketball). Has only played for one team over his 7 NBA seasons.

Gradey Dick: born in Wichita, Kansas on November 20th. Played all his high school and college basketball in the state of Kansas. Received high basketball honour (Gatorade National Player of the Year). Has only played for one team over his 3 NBA seasons.

Prediction

The Raptors catch the Cavaliers on the back-end of a road-home back-to-back. It’s also the third game in four nights for Cleveland, after playing a double-header in Miami. During Monday’s loss to Miami, Garland may have reaggravated the toe injury that required surgery in the offseason and also kept him out for the first six games of the season.

Cleveland, however, will be looking to avenge the earlier loss to Toronto. Mitchell has had his way with the Raptors since OG Anunoby left the team. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley should be difficult to handle, more than usual, with Poeltl’s back issues and Sandro Mamukelashvili dealing with a neck injury.

Statistically, the Raptors actually matchup quite well to the Cavaliers. Toronto ranks higher in halfcourt offense and on both ends in transition. Immanuel Quickley’s improved play of late should negate the need for another hero performance from Jamison Battle. Cleveland wins the rematch but Toronto covers the +6.5 spread.

November 15 @ Indiana Pacers

Quick, name the 5 starters in Indiana’s most recent game? I……won’t even try. Instead, here’s a list of who was injured:

• Pascal Siakam (Rest; 10th in minutes per game. Trust me, he needed the rest)
• TJ McConnell (Hamstring; could return this week)
• Johnny Furphy (Ankle; will miss at least one more week)
• Benedict Mathurin (Foot; week-to-week)
• Obi Toppin (Foot; out at least 3 months)
• Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles; crying emoji)

The Pacers have matched the worst start in franchise history. The unfortunate injury luck has led to 7 different starting lineups over the first 10 Indiana games — 9 of which were losses. It’s hard to say if the worst loss was to Brooklyn (the Nets’ only win of the season) or on Sunday in Golden State (with 9 players listed injured in a 34-point rout)….or if rock bottom still hasn’t been reached.

Indiana was literally one win away from the most improbable championship. Since winning Game 6 on June 19th, the Pacers have won one game. Hey, at least they look good!

Introducing our 2025-26 City Edition uniforms https://t.co/c1uqbV7klB pic.twitter.com/TeTh54gCuR

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 11, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

Indiana has lowest eFG% in the NBA by a wide margin. The Pacers’ percentage (46%) is 3.6% percentage points worse than the 29th-ranked Utah Jazz (49.6%). That 3.6% margin is just as wide as the 1st-ranked Milwaukee Bucks (59.2%) and the 12th-ranked Phoenix Suns (55.6%).

The Pacers have 6 players averaging at least 50% shooting from the field. Three of those players are injured (Mathurin, Furphy, and Quenton Jackson), James Wiseman has only played one game, and Tony Bradley plays 13 minutes a game. Things are looking dire in Indiana.

Prediction

Surprise, surprise. The Indiana Pacers have the worst offense in the league! The Raptors’ defense should be delighted to finish off the five-game road trip against a short-handed team that doesn’t shoot well from any area of the floor (30th at the rim, 29th from three, and 28th from mid-range). Siakam matching up with Barnes should be fun to watch. Toronto wins and covers the -8.5 spread.

Last week: 2-1

Season record: 7-3

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-a...rs-games-november-10-16-nets-cavaliers-pacers

 

[Toronto Raptors]

How do 2K26’s new ratings stack up to 2K16’s Legacy?

The first round of OVR ranking updates in NBA2K have finally been released, and with it, some necessary adjustments have occurred. Earlier in the year when the rankings were released, we took the opportunity to look at the Raptors ratings, the ones that were way too high and the ones that were way too low. Now, we can look at what’s been fixed and what hasn’t…

Big Ups…​

Starting with the Raptors, there was a little shuffle with most of the roster. This is on par with most teams, as the individual scores only changing a point or two is usual for the first update of the year:

• Scottie Barnes – 86 OVR (+1)
• Brandon Ingram – 85 OVR (+1)
• Immanuel Quickley – 79 OVR (-2)
• Jakob Poeltl – 79 OVR (-1)
• Collin Murray-Boyles – 77 OVR (+5)
• Gradey Dick – 76 OVR (-2)
• Jamal Shead – 74 OVR (+1)
• Jamison Battle – 74 OVR (+3)
• Ja’Kobe Walter – 73 OVR (-1)

Both Scottie and BI saw a jump, a nod to the nice start to the season both guys have had. With Scottie averaging almost 20-7-5 per game and BI close behind him with 21-6-4, their defence and play has been really solid for the Raps. These are definitely trending in the right direction and it’s nice to see them getting a more respectable rating.

CMB had the largest jump of the team, although this shouldn’t surprise anyone as rookies usually are underrated coming into the league, especially when they’re not high picks. The +5 is the largest for the Raptors and one of the most significant in the update as well, but with the strong start he’s had, especially on the defensive end, this makes sense. Now he sits 8th among rookies, a solid show of respect as he averages almost 9-4-1 so far.

… and Big Downs​

Poeltl and Walter both went down one, although they’ve had rough starts to the season. Poeltl’s back had him looking off and missing time, and Walter has struggled to crack the rotation. To be honest, I’m surprised it didn’t drop even more.

The biggest fallers for Toronto were Quickley and Gradey though, both dropping 2 OVR. Quickley has come under a bit of scrutiny, averaging only 14 points on some hot and cold shooting. He’s done a good job facilitating though, averaging 6 assists per game. This new OVR places him below the top 100 players (which I don’t agree with), and alongside guys like Herb Jones, Aaron Wiggins, and Bilal Coulibaly (which feels kind of disrespectful).

In the next update, I would suspect we’ll see a recovery for Poeltl and Quickley, and another jump from Ingram, but likely not as much movement as this one.

Most of the biggest risers around the league were the rookies. Since they’re coming in untested, it makes sense to see plenty of fluctuation now that we’ve seen how they measure up against NBA-calibre talent.

The Rookies and the Vets​

VJ Edgecomb, the current frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, saw a very deserved jump. Up 5 to an OVR of 81. He has had some phenomenal performances already and is averaging 17-6-5 and leading rookies in many statistical categories.

Cooper Flagg was one of the rookies whose OVR dropped, now at 80 (-2). After the abysmal start to the season Dallas has had, he’s averaging only about 14-7-3. He hasn’t had much help at either end of the floor, and when compared to other players around the league, 80 still feels like it’s inflated due to expectations and might still see some fallout by the next update. He’s in a tricky spot in Dallas but has underwhelmed and his OVR is reflecting that.

Cedric Coward saw the biggest improvement, now at an 80 (+8) after an excellent start for the Grizzlies. Averaging 15-6-3 on 55% shooting, he’s already had a double-double, and set a career high of 27 points against Indiana. Definitely a well-deserved jump for the rookie.

Jeremiah Fears, Kon Knueppel, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Sion James, and Will Richard all saw significant jumps as well, given the strong start to the rookie campaigns they’ve had. Ace Bailey was the most significant faller, dropping to 73 (-4), a somewhat harsh drop although expectations were high and he’s underwhelmed.

For older players, Cam Spencer – 74 (+6) , Keyonte George – 82 (+4), Jake LaRavia – 78 (+4), Reed Sheppard – 76 (+4), Ajay Mitchell – 79 (+6), and Josh Okogie – 75 (+5) were some of the biggest risers, all nods to the improvement we’ve seen so far.

Tyrese Maxey saw a jump to an OVR of 89 (+3) who was my #1 for guys who were underrated to start this season. I wouldn’t be shocked if both see more upward movement before long, especially with the games he’s been having already and the load he needs to carry for Philly. The other two “players who were rated too low” were Jalen Johnson who saw a +4 to his OVR and Aaron Gordon who saw a +1. Both well deserved. Lauri Markkanen – 87 (+3) also saw a well-deserved increase.

There weren’t as many drops as expected, especially for players who were ranked (in my opinion) too high to start the season.

Julius Randle saw another jump to 88 (+2) but has had an excellent start, averaging 26-7-6. Amen Thompson remains at 87 (still too high in my opinion), and Kawhi, who has managed to play six games already this season, stays at 92.

There were still some fallers though, with Joel dropping to 90 (-2) after his slow start, mirrored by Myles Turner at 81 (-2) who is adjusting to playing with the Bucks.

Boston had a pair of fallers in Anfernee Simons and Derrick White, both dropping 3 to 78 and 84, respectively. In reality, that’s probably closer to where they should be, but the added “we won the championship two years ago” OVR inflation is starting to wear off.

The Knicks saw KAT fall to 90 (-2), Josh Hart fall to 78 (-3) and Jordan Clarkson fall to 76 (-2) with their disappointing start to the season as well.

Now, a month into the season, guys are starting to get their legs, gel with new teams, and carve out their role. It will be interesting to see if the risers are able to maintain these new marks and if the fallers are able to get some redemption as we head into December.

10 Years of Change​

A little more than 10 years removed from what is frequently held as the best 2K game of all time, considerable changes have been made to the franchise, and the way they choose to rate their players. 2K16 was marked for the Raptors by the inclusion of the ‘99-’00 team with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady as part of the lineup of classic teams offered for play, as well as the 2015-16 Raptors team led by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

The star guard and wing were tied for first place in the Raptors ratings at 83 a piece, a significant jump from the team’s third highest rated player, DeMarre Carroll at a 79. The rest of the top 5 was rounded out by Jonas Valanciunas at a 78 and Luis Scola and James Johnson both at 75, a relatively stark drop-off. With Lowry and DeRozan as the two lone All-Stars in the season, and JV pulling in a near double double, those ratings made sense, but considering DeMarre Carroll’s injury-riddled season, and star of our old column “James Johnson Watch”, James Johnson, snagging only 5 points per game, it’s a bit of a rough look for the virtual Raptors of ten years ago.

Barnes and Ingram, sitting at 86 and 85 overall as the two highest rated players in 2K26, eclipse the budding versions of Lowry and DeRozan digitized in 2K16. Now, is this a fair assessment? Statistically, Scottie makes sense at an 86, with a well-rounded game that’s perhaps just short of the All-Star level game that’s found at 90 overall and above in 2K26, and sits as the 48th highest rated player in the game. But, in 16, you’ve got DeRozan and Lowry sitting at 33rd and 37th respectively. Worse ratings, but higher relative rank. So… what gives?

Overall increase in ratings in the 2K games has been a consistent factor throughout recent entries in the series. 2K26 has 23 players who are rated 90 overall or higher, whereas 2K16 only has 6. In some cases, the way these video games measure player success has become considerably more generous. The first player to fall short of the 90 rating in 2K16 was Russell Westbrook, First Team All-NBA averaging a double double with points and assists. The first 89 overall baller in 2K26, on the other hand, is Evan Mobley, coming off a defensive player of the year season, Second Team All-NBA, and making the All-Defensive First Team. Pretty similar resumes. But, if Russ is the sixth best player, and Mobley is the twenty-sixth, are there actually twenty players better than 2016 Westbrook in the modern era?

Inflation Explanation​

The answer, is not that simple. There are some clear cases of players’ ratings being wildly out of proportion with their actual abilities, such as Ja Morant’s egregious 89 rating despire barely posting 20 points per game on a middling Grizzlies squad this year. The same can be said for Joel Embiid, whose production has fallen off of a cliff this season, but still retains a 90 overall status. Tyrese Maxey is having a true superstar year so far, averaging 33 points per game, but is the 29th highest rated player in the game, at more or less the same rating as DeRozan from 10 years ago, nowhere near that level of scoring. Clearly, there is a divorce between on-court production and rating in 2K, with a heavy bias for those with big names and previous years of good play. But, this also reflects a genuine change in what NBA basketball looks like. Players are putting up more points in the 25-26 season than they did in the 15-16 season, a reflection of the evolution of the league, and the increase in volume amongst contemporary stars. That said: the lack of consistency throughout the series is admittedly frustrating. Quickley, sitting at a 79 overall, is considered to be at the same as DeMarre Carroll, who put up eleven points and four boards per game, while Quickley is a respectable point guard putting up more points and assists, and roughly the same number of boards as a guard.

An internal consistency is not present in the ratings of the 2K franchise. The scale has shifted throughout the long history of the video games series, but we have reached a point where the series does not properly reflect the state of the NBA in the way that a simulation video game should. Ten years is a long time in basketball, and the landscape of the league is considerably different than what is was in the mid-2010s. But, the rating stinginess of the old games compared to the generosity and lopsidedness of the most recent entry boggles the mind to consider.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/general/4...ating-toronto-raptors-barnes-barrett-quickley

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Game preview: Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Toronto Raptors begin the back-end of their five-game Eastern Conference road trip against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST on TSN.

The matchup marks the second time in less than two weeks that the Raptors and Cavaliers play each other. In the previous contest, the Raptors defeated a depleted Cavaliers team 112-101. Since then, the Cavaliers are 5-1 and have leapfrogged the Raptors in the standings.

While Ochai Agbaji (lower back), Sando Mamukelsashvili (neck) and Collin Murray-Boyles (illness) all listed as questionable, here are three more storylines to pay attention to during the game.

NBA Cup payback?​

The Cavaliers aren’t completely whole, but they’re in better shape than the last time the Raptors saw them. During that ten-point loss to Toronto, the Cavaliers were without Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill and Max Strus.

Garland suffered an injury scare when he left in the third quarter of their 140-138 loss to the Miami Heat on Nov. 10. The six-foot-one guard experienced issues with the same toe which required surgery in the off-season. Garland could either miss the game against the Raptors or play on a minutes restriction.

While the Raptors might avoid having to contain Garland, they’ll have their hands full with the expected return of Mitchell and Mobley. The former all-stars intentionally sat out on Wednesday in their rematch against the Heat due to rest, suggesting that the 8-3 Cavaliers have the Raptors scheduled on their calendar.

Allen is also expected to suit up and he’s historically been difficult to handle. Last season, Allen averaged 17 points and 11.3 rebounds against the Raptors. It’ll continue to be a challenge for Toronto if Jakob Poeltl can’t play (or isn’t healthy) and if Scottie Barnes gets into foul trouble.

After missing three games with a hip contusion, Merrill is averaging 12 points in 25.8 minutes over four games. Strus, after undergoing foot surgery, has returned to shooting activities on the practice court but is still weeks away from playing in games.

A constant battle for consistency​

The Cavaliers may come out of the gates against the Raptors with renewed vigour. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that Toronto essentially knocked Cleveland out of the NBA Cup. Cleveland has never finished with a losing record in the tournament’s two-year history. They narrowly missed advancing past the group stage due to a point-differential tiebreaker in 2023-2024.

While the Raptors were healthier than the Cavaliers during their Halloween matchup, they were without Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley, with the latter still struggling with his jumper at the time. Quickly finished with four points on 22 per cent shooting against the Cavaliers. He also finished 0-for-3 from the perimeter.

Cleveland had a 90-86 lead with seven minutes remaining in the game. Toronto proceeded to go on a 19-8 run before Jamison Battle hit his sixth and final three with less than 40 seconds remaining. This was Battle’s early 2025-26 legacy game candidate, during which he knocked down all seven of his shot attempts. Battle has struggled to see the court since but could be relied on again if the Cavs pack the paint with their length.

Looking for the board man​

If Poeltl, Mamukelashvili, or Murray-Boyles either misses the game or doesn’t look close to healthy, the Raptors could be in for a long night. Despite the Cavaliers only ranking 17th in the league in rebounds per game (43.5), they should be tough to deal with on Thursday.

Even if all three aforementioned players suit up, a negative outcome could add another reason to the ever-growing pile arguing for Toronto to trade for an additional piece to help the frontcourt.

Mobley is averaging 8.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, while Allen is chipping in 7.7 rebounds and 1.0 block per game. The Raptors are 5-0 when they win the battle on the boards.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-analysis/48497/game-preview-toronto-raptors-vs-cleveland-cavaliers