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[Toronto Raptors]

How the Raptors continue redefining their identity with win over Magic

Good teams play the schedule in front of them. The Toronto Raptors have struggled with that this season. But it isn’t too late to rewrite how fans and pundits look back on this iteration of the team.

After an emotionally draining comeback victory against the Golden State Warriors, the Raptors welcomed the Orlando Magic into their building for the second game of their back-to-back on Monday.

It took a false start or two but the Raptors ultimately defeated the Magic 107-106, suggesting that unwritten chapters remain in the story of a team that refuses to limit itself as a play-in contender.

With the win, Toronto improved to 2-6 on the second end of a back-to-back. The Raptors had entered the game on a three-game losing streak in games without rest.

Stranger things have happened, but something is brewing in Toronto, and its cultivation must continue.

Here are four more takeaways from another electric Raptors comeback victory.

The right side up​

The Raptors seemed caught in a forever loop. No matter how hard they pushed, they remained stuck dealing with a 10-point deficit. The tide finally began to turn when Ja’Kobe Walter hit the deck for a loose-ball steal midway through the fourth quarter. On the following possession, Walter’s effort drew an illegal screen on the Magic offence. Walter also earned a deflection late in the game, which led to another Orlando turnover. His 10 points officially extended his streak of double-digit scoring to a season-high three games. There’s excitement for that side of the ball. But for Walter to also contribute defensively is an encouraging sign in the sophomore’s overall development. He’s figuring out how to change games, especially when RJ Barrett is out.

Rookie Collin Muray-Boyles returned from illness and also played a significant part in the Raptors’ comeback win. The defensive dynamo confirmed post-game that he had been quarantined from the team, leading to less preparation and a lengthy ramp-up to find his second wind early in the game against Orlando. But once he found his footing, Murray-Boyles picked up where he left off and finished with 12 rebounds, with seven of them coming on the offensive end.

The Raptors coaching staff is beginning to lean into more minutes that pair Murray-Boyles with Scottie Barnes, and the early results are tantalizing. Raptors fans can certainly get used to watching two defensive geniuses play off each other for years to come.

The bridge​

There’s something simple about comparing Jamal Shead to one of the greatest Raptors of all time in Kyle Lowry. It’s not that Shead belongs anywhere near that kind of label or expectation, but he’s writing a similar love letter to Toronto sports fans who adore a blue-collar athlete.

It could be the way he consistently draws the illegal screen. Or the way he seizes the moment. And it’s definitely also how he throws up a push-shot during paint drives.

Shead still occasionally takes on too much offensively, but it’s difficult to blame him on nights when the Raptors struggle from the field.

He doesn’t shy away from the low points of a game, and it’s why Shead finished with a team-high 19 points, to go with four rebounds and five assists.

Squint and it makes sense to see Lowry’s silhouette. Of course, it was Shead who tied the game at 102-102 after he finished a contested layup over Anthony Black to send the home crowd into a frenzy.

Escape from past reputation​

The Raptors trailed 29-18 after 12 minutes and it’s because they had a rebounding problem. The Magic entered the matchup averaging 16.2 second-chance points, good for seventh-best in the league. Toronto had already conceded nine points after the first frame.

Enter Mo Bamba.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic made the obvious decision to throw the newly acquired Raptors into the fire and the results couldn’t have been more chaotic.

On the Raptors’ first possession, Immanuel Quickley threw a lob up for Bamba, but the big man slipped and landed awkwardly on his back. It didn’t necessarily inspire confidence amidst the sold-out crowd inside the Scotiabank Arena. But the rollercoaster had only begun.

In four fascinating minutes, Bamba blocked three shots and failed to snare a single rebound. While it wasn’t entirely Bamba’s fault, as he was far too busy contesting any shot attempt in his airspace, the Raptors conceded six offensive rebounds while he was on the court.

His journey with the Raptors will be a fun watch.

Scoring sorcerer​

This is an assumption, but this might not be Gradey Dick’s favourite season of his young NBA career. Caught in a vortex of inconsistency with Ochai Agbaji and Walter, Dick has struggled with reduced playing time and a shorter runway on the court.

But with the Raptors starting the game colder than Canadian winters (3-for-14 from the field and 0-for-4 from three), Dick channelled whatever confidence he weaponized last season. He finished the first half leading the team in scoring with 15 points.

His offensive outburst included two three-pointers. Dick had gone 1-for-11 from beyond the arc in the last five contests. When the third-year Kansas product plays with certainty and intent, he provides the Raptors with the pack-a-punch type of skillset a contending team needs from the bench.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...redefining-their-identity-with-win-over-magic

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors ring in the new year with loss to the depleted Nuggets

The Toronto Raptors faced the Denver Nuggets in the midst of their five-game home-stand. After clinching back-to-back comeback wins against Golden State and Orlando, everyone was probably ready for a matchup that didn’t involve fingernail biting or a double-digit deficit. Especially when facing a shell of Denver’s regular lineup. Unfortunately, that’s not what anyone got. The Raptors spent much of the game trailing, were locked in a fourth-quarter stalemate, and despite every best effort, they fell in their final matchup of the year.

SCOTTIE LET IT FLY
RUN THEM ALL-STAR VOTES https://t.co/hBrcYmT62a pic.twitter.com/GMgErUV5QG

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 1, 2026

The Nuggets have been hit by the injury bug hard this season, first losing Christian Braun on November 12 to an ankle injury, followed almost immediately by Aaron Gordon on November 21 after a hard fall that led to a hamstring strain. Next, Cam Johnson hyperextended his knee a week ago, resulting in a bone bruise that will keep him sidelined the next four to six weeks. Jokic was the most recent to go down, also hyperextending his left knee on Monday in what will keep him out likely until February.

Darko quipped before the game about wanting to face Denver with a sixth player so they could double Jokic and match up everywhere else, but the NBA “didn’t have an understanding for that request”. Not having to face four of the five starters is advantageous in some sense, but also a challenge as scouting and game plan can be a challenge when facing guys who have played as few as three or four games.

The guys who did check in for Denver made an effort, never giving in despite being outmatched and losing a sizeable lead. The tandem of Jamal Murray and Jonas Valanciunas forced the Raptors to adjust their defence accordingly. Murray drew double teams and full-court coverage and still managed to finish with 21-7-6. Valanciunas made an early exit with an apparent injury that forced him to limp off the court on his own weight. Despite this, he ended with 17-9-4 and the lack of his rebounding presence on the floor for the Nuggets appeared to be a game-changer. Peyton Watson led scoring for the Nuggets with 24-8.

Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes both used this as an opportunity to make their All-Star case after some lacklustre voting returns. Scottie had his second triple double of the season, finishing with 20-14-10. His motor on defence and passing IQ were crucial for the Raptors tonight. Ingram’s scoring was the biggest part of his night, showing the ability to isolate defenders and make difficult shots to give him 30-8-1. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles continued to impress in this matchup as well, although it wasn’t necessarily reflected in the stat sheet as he only had 6-9-2 with 5 of those rebounds being offensive. It’s all the little things that he did and his defensive presence that impressed as he continues to carve out his role on the team.

TOO SMOOTH
RUN THEM B.I ALL-STAR VOTES https://t.co/0LAA7C9xKe pic.twitter.com/wWAimeXN8u

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 1, 2026

On paper this looked like an easy win, but the shooting struggles that plagued Toronto throughout the game were their biggest enemy.

Brief game recap:​

Denver went ahead early, benefitting from Jonas Valanciunas’ size in the paint and Jamal Murray’s otherworldly ability to make shots. The tandem worked well together to create a successful 2-man game. Defensive adjustments were the Raptors’ friend, running doubles and traps on Murray in an attempt to force the rest of the depleted Nuggets to create offence. Walter, Shead, and Murray-Boyles all checked in, but weren’t able to make much of an offensive difference. By the end of the first, they shifted to a full-court press and tried to deny Murray the ball entirely, but with only Barnes, Ingram, and Murray-Boyles managing to score, Denver managed a 9-point lead led mostly by Peyton Watson’s scoring.

THAT’S HOW YOU MOVE THE ROCK pic.twitter.com/7hrOuwBPju

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 1, 2026

Rookie CMB had some great pick-and-roll action early on that helped get the crowd back into the game. Immanuel Quickley got going in the second quarter, a welcome sight after struggling his last outing. After a made 3-pointer during a time stoppage, he seemed to find a bit of rhythm and sunk a pair of long range shots in succession, scoring a total of 12 in the frame. Barnes and Ingram chipped in as well. Denver got a lot of easy looks with good off-ball movement, cuts, and rolls to the basket. Toronto held for the last possession but couldn’t convert, leaving them trailing by the same margin.

The steal & the finish = 10/10 pic.twitter.com/35hkBKmzQ7

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 1, 2026

The Raptors saw what they needed to and emerged from the locker room far more engaged and ready. CMB replaced Ochai in the lineup, and defensive engagement now seemed to pass the eye test, forcing turnovers and a shot clock violation. Despite his minutes restriction RJ was still able to chip in to the offence, sinking a 3-pointer and adding a few more points in the paint. The Raptors’ biggest challenge in the quarter seemed to be the whistle, with Denver getting into the bonus early and frequently heading to the line. The lead flip-flopped a few times before miscues by Toronto at the end of the quarter gave Denver a two-possession lead.

JAMAL B.I pic.twitter.com/FtfxEahIMu

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 1, 2026

The Raptors seemed to continue to feed the narrative that they’re a team that likes the fourth quarter, coming out of the stoppage with immense energy. They closed the gap and re-built a lead, going possession for possession with the Nuggets. Herein lies the frustration with this season though, as they would work incredibly hard defensively, win the possession, miss a shot, and immediately allow an easy basket on the other end. This pattern kept them locked in a duel during the fourth quarter, neither team able to draw away. Scottie, Quickley, and CMB were leaving everything on the floor, trying to secure the win. Quickley dove on the court for a loose ball, Scottie drew an offensive foul, and then they played the foul and shoot game to try and at least force overtime. RJ had the shot but it was from a few feet beyond the 3-point line and the ball rimmed out. A pair of missed free-throws for Ingram made an incredible shot that had the arena rocking, but upon replay, the shot was a fraction of a second too late, sealing Toronto’s fate.

IF YOU’RE WATCHING THIS, YOU KNOW.
VOTE SCOTTIE.https://t.co/hBrcYmT62a pic.twitter.com/wVzLNLFdCb

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 1, 2026

Final thoughts​

In retrospect, despite how badly all of us probably wanted BI’s shot to be counted, in a game like this it probably shouldn’t have been down to the wire, and especially not a single possession. The fourth quarter offence struggled as a whole and the shooting woes throughout the game posed the biggest challenge for Toronto.

After the game Darko pointed out that for the bench to be 5-34 from the field and STILL be in the game is the biggest takeaway. Watching film and learning from the game will be all they can take away, ever finding the silver lining despite a frustrating situation.

Brandon Ingram’s first thought was that he needed to “cut his fingernails” since he thought the shot was going in too, but afterwards echoed the reality that this is a learning experience.

The Raptors will continue their home-stand Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 pm ET.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...he-new-year-with-loss-to-the-depleted-nuggets

 

[Toronto Raptors]

The Raptors eye early start on New Year’s resolutions against Nuggets

The Toronto Raptors didn’t wait for the calendar to turn for a reason to initiate the early stages of a sorely needed transformation.

They’re still a long way from being the type of team they want to be. But from the perspective of those not privy to what’s going on inside the locker room, the Raptors seemingly have taken a long enough look in the mirror to confirm what’s been known for a while – they need to be better.

After two dramatic comeback victories in their last two games, the Raptors have another opportunity to redefine who they ultimately want to be when they host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

With tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST on Sportsnet, here are five resolutions for the Raptors’ matchup against the Nuggets and the new year.

From notoriously hurt to a clean bill of health​

The Toronto Raptors medical team took care of Kawhi Leonard. Seven years later, they’re guiding Brandon Ingram to play in his 35th straight game.

After only suiting up for 18 games last season, it’s something to celebrate

It’ll be Ingram’s longest string of appearances since playing in 34 consecutive contests in 2023-24. He started a career-high 64 games that year. Ingram is also playing 34.2 minutes per game, which ranks second only to his 2020-21 season when he averaged 34.3 minutes

Ingram will undoubtedly miss time this year but if he can set a new personal best in games played and finish around the 70 appearances, it’ll go a long way in justifying the trade to acquire him, even if any potential playoff run is cut short.

Rebuild We The North​

Once upon a time, not too long ago, the Raptors used to play in an environment that opponents feared. That reputation took a hit in the last two years, with the Raptors going 32-50 at home. But from 2013-23, Toronto was an elite basketball fortress. The team only one had one losing season at home (16-20 in 2020-21) and compiled a .627 win percentage. During this nine-season stretch, the Raptors finished an average of 16.4 wins above the .500 mark.

After winning the first two contests of a five-game homestand, the Raptors are currently 10-7 at home. The Scotiabank Arena has felt like a raucous party again in the last two games. Capturing that vibe enough times so it becomes normal again can catapult the Raptors back into the playoffs.

Take advantage of other teams’ misfortune​

With Nikola Jokić hyperextending his left knee, Denver must deal with an MVP-sized hole in its frontcourt. Even before Jokic’s injury, the Nuggets had desperately yearned for good health headed into 2026.

Cam Johnson recently hurt his right knee. Christian Braun has been out with an ankle injury since Nov. 12 and Aaron Gordon has missed the last 17 games due to his hamstring. Jokic is expected to miss at least four weeks, and suddenly, the Nuggets are in danger of slipping into the play-in amid a crowded Western Conference playoff race.

For the Raptors, this means taking care of business in an industry in which they’ve struggled to find their footing. The Los Angeles Lakers (Luka Doncic), Boston Celtics (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown), and New York Knicks (OG Anunoby) have all recently stolen wins from the Raptors without key players in their lineup.

It’s often pointed out that some of the Raptors’ inconsistencies can be blamed on Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett missing time. There’s some legitimacy to those claims. But opposing injuries don’t seem to benefit Toronto and that’s a problem.

It’s December and there’s plenty of runway left but the Raptors need to begin stacking up wins before the race truly heats up in March.

Sprint out of the gates​

False starts have plagued the Raptors in the last two games. While Scottie Barnes’ historic night saved them against the Golden State Warriors and a scrappy bench unit propelled the team past the Orlando Magic, falling behind early in games isn’t necessarily a sound plan.

A quick start is key to any team’s success but the Raptors lean on momentum more than most teams. Toronto is 12-4 when leading after the first 12 minutes. The Raptors are also 7-0 when they win the first two quarters.

Stay alive at the five​

Poeltl is being reevaluated in a week but there’s a feeling among the fanbase that the Austrian’s back issues will linger throughout the season. Scottie Barnes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Murray-Boyles have done an admirable job of taking on centre responsibilities, but it’s not sustainable over the course of 82 games.

The Raptors’ latest attempt at addressing the problem was signing Mo Bamba to a non-guaranteed contract. The newest Raptor recorded one block in nearly four minutes of action in his debut.

There’s a mixture of curiosity and excitement around the acquisition that extends to his teammates in the locker room.

“Everybody knows that we needed that…we’ve been running a lot of small-ball five, especially with Jakob being out,” said Murray-Boyles. “So definitely having someone protect the paint and grab more rebounds is something we really need.”

How Bamba fares as the backup centre may determine how quickly the Raptors act in the 2026 trade market.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...tart-on-new-years-resolutions-against-nuggets

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors’ strong offensive showing squashes Hawks in fourth quarter

It’s a new year, and many people are contemplating their goals and resolutions for 2026 — the Toronto Raptors are not exempt. Ahead of their match-up against the Atlanta Hawks, the first of a two-game series between these two teams, Raptors’ coach Darko Rajakovic talked about setting good habits. Using the word ‘habits’ is another way to describe consistency, something the Raptors have been lacking so far this season. Heading into the weekend with a 20-15 record, everything from injuries to weird schedules to just the play on the court in general has pointed to a lack of consistency that is starting to catch up with this team.

With Jakob Poeltl still out, his back injury leading to a week of rest to see if it would help, Collin Murray-Boyles was inserted into the starting lineup alongside Barnes, Barrett (still on a minutes restriction), Quickley, and Ingram.

As are most games against Atlanta, honestly, this game was weird. Toronto scored nearly 80 points in the first half alone, the officiating was scattered and odd at times, and despite a big offensive performance, the Raptors were only up 7 at halftime. With all the calls from the refs, it felt like the game was way longer than usual.

The best part of this game, hands down, was Brandon Ingram. He’s… incredible. A hooper’s hooper, as he was described at the beginning of the season. Just a GUY. When he gets hot (which is most nights), he’s unstoppable. Not only that, he’s just so damn fun to watch. I theorized earlier in the season (during the winning streak, if I’m not mistaken) that Ingram has revitalized this franchise. When he plays like he did tonight, that statement rings true. He scored 29 points on 11-15 shooting from the field with 9 rebounds and 1 assist.

After a tightly contested three quarters, the Raptors were finally able to pull away in the fourth. RJ Barrett had arguably his best game since being back from his knee injury, as he scored a season-high 29 points — another best part of this game. He and Ingram combined to lead the Raptors’ offence, helped along by Barnes. Since defence isn’t exactly the Hawks’ strong suit, once the Raptors got going and were able to make some stops on the other end, they could leap ahead a bit. This resulted in a 134-117 win for Toronto.

first team to play defense wins

— William Lou (@william_lou) January 4, 2026

While the Raptors are definitely struggling with consistency, tonight showed a glimpse of what they are capable of. A strong offensive showing, with Barrett and Ingram each scoring 29 points and Barnes scoring 20 points. While they could have been better about playing defense the entire game, they stepped it up when it mattered most, in the final minutes.

“We have to do that a lot earlier,” Barrett said about their defensive performance in the fourth quarter.

“I think I got lost in the game, in the fourth quarter,” Barrett said about what felt different tonight. “That fourth quarter, that’s Raptors basketball. That’s who we need to be,” Barrett continued.

Those small things are surely the habits Darko wants his team to be establishing as they head into the new year, and are almost halfway through the season. To be consistent would be to stack more of these good days closer to each other.

When asked about what he wants his players to take from this game into Monday’s game, Rajakovic praised the pace of the game and the play from Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett. He praised both players’ defence, especially. Rajakovic also talked about studying film from a game like tonight’s, giving the disparity from quarter to quarter. He mentioned they will look back on games like this and really dive into what should be salvaged and what needs to be corrected.

That will come in handy immediately, as the Raptors will play the Hawks for the fourth and final time this season on Monday. In such close back-to-back games, studying film and having a solid game plan based on what worked tonight will be key to their success. The Raptors could use a back-to-back win as well, to start building a streak. They haven’t won more than two games in a row since their nine-game winning streak in November.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...tlanta-hawks-barnes-barrett-ingram-game-recap

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors sweep season series against Atlanta Hawks

It feels like the 87th meeting between the Toronto Raptors and the Atlanta Hawks this season. In reality, it’s the fourth, but it feels like more. Especially given that these two teams played on Saturday and then Monday again, with no games in between.

Before the game, Darko Rajakovic said he liked playing teams again and again in a short amount of time. To him, it kind of mimics what the playoffs are like, having to prepare to play the same team over and over. Plus, for a team like his that doesn’t have much playoff experience, anything that mimics that setting is welcome.

There were things Darko wanted his team to take into Monday’s matchup that they did on Saturday, and a few things that he wanted them to leave behind. Their poor defensive play in the first three quarters was probably the biggest thing, given they allowed the Hawks over 70 points in the first half of Saturday’s game. They turned everything around in the fourth, leading to a solid win, and that final quarter contained most of what Darko wanted to repeat on Monday.

Clearly, that was still fresh on their mind as they started the game on Monday, immediately playing better defence than their showing on Saturday. Someone impressive on the defensive end so far this season? Brandon Ingram, who was infamously NOT known as a defence guy when he was traded to the Raptors, to the point that it was a hesitation for many fans in believing in the deal. Ingram has developed on the defensive end enough that he’s s threat in the paint, something the Raptors need from him as he’s so important on the offensive end.

After the game, Darko Rajakovic told the media that Ingram was shocked at the defensive intensity he saw the Raptors’ Summer League team display. From there, Darko explained that Ingram realized he needed to step it up when it came to his own defensive intensity. According to Darko, Ingram is a “team guy,” he just wants to win, and he wants to contribute in any way he needs to, to be the player his team needs him to be. For this team, they need him to be a defensive threat, so he became one.

As we established on Saturday, the Hawks famously don’t really play much defence themselves, so the Raptors were able to take control and keep it. I’d make a “maybe that’s why Trae Young wants out” quip, but he’s the kinda the worst for it, which is why I don’t want him near the Raptors in trade talks.

Unfortunately, because the Raptors seem to love a clutch game situation this season, the score got closer as the fourth quarter started. Thankfully, Ingram, RJ Barrett, and Scottie were able to hold the team steady offensively, and the team continued to play good enough defence to hold off Atlanta. It was a wire-to-wire victory for Toronto, ending the game up 118-100 over the Hawks.

With this win, the Raptors officially sweep the season series against the Atlanta Hawks, having won all four games against them this season.

It was definitely a team effort, with no player reaching 20 points in scoring, and their three-point shooting staying at 32.4%. It was a great game for Collin Murray-Boyles and Gradey Dick, the rookie who has been impressive when he’s been given a shot, and the third-year player, Gradey Dick, who has been struggling as of late but had a great showing. CMB scored 17 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 stocks, and Dick scored 11 points off the bench.

Murray-Boyles said after the game that the one thing that has gotten easier in his half a season in the NBA is the ability to follow the game plan his coaches lay out for him. He likes to play with energy and isn’t afraid to mess up if he’s out there playing his hardest, in his words. He added that he prepared extensively to be able to be as physical as he has been as a rookie – a rarity with guys coming fresh from college basketball.

Barnes gave a nod to the team’s bench, saying, “They are a huge part of [the Raptors’] success, we have a next man up mentality.”

This is the first time the Raptors have won three games in a row since their nine-game winning streak in November. They head out on a mini road trip this week, playing Charlotte and then Boston, before coming back to play Philadelphia in back-to-back home games. If they keep up the offence and defensive energy they displayed in the last five quarters of basketball, they could extend this current streak a bit more.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...lanta-hawks-game-series-ingram-barnes-barrett

 

[Zedster]

Good to see the Raptors stringing together some wins heading into January. That sweep of the Hawks was nice, even if Atlanta isn't exactly a defensive juggernaut.

The Ingram defensive development storyline is quietly one of the more interesting things happening this season. When the trade went down, a lot of folks were skeptical about his effort on that end, but credit to him for buying in. Darko's comment about Ingram watching the Summer League kids and realizing he needed to match that intensity is pretty telling about the culture they're trying to build.

CMB continues to impress. The offensive rebounding numbers are wild for a rookie, and his willingness to just play hard without worrying about mistakes is refreshing. Pairing him with Scottie defensively has a lot of potential long-term.

That Nuggets loss stings though. Going 5-34 from the bench against a team missing Jokic, Gordon, Braun, and Cam Johnson is rough. Those are the games you need to bank when the schedule gets tougher. At least they stayed in it, but Darko's right that it shouldn't have come down to the wire.

The Mo Bamba experiment will be interesting to watch. Three blocks in four minutes is eye-catching, but zero rebounds while giving up six offensive boards on the other end is... something. Hopefully he settles in and gives them some real minutes at the five while Jakob is out.

Boston on the road this week will be a good measuring stick for where this team actually is.

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Heated Rivalry actor reflects on LGBTQ+ athletes reaching out

We talked about the hit Crave show Heated Rivalry a few weeks ago, when season one was still rolling out, and the craze was just setting in. Even then, before the season’s final episodes were released and the show hit international notoriety, there was just something about it that felt different. It was honest, something so very rare when it comes to covering professional sports. While the show definitely becomes a little less about hockey as the season progresses, turning into a beautiful and intimate love story between the show’s two leads, its impact on the sports world continues to prove itself.

Back when we first talked about the show here, it was more about how the show was causing a shift in the way the media was talking about these topics. I was so pleasantly surprised seeing legitimate hockey podcasts like What Chaos! and Empty Netters were doing in-depth, honest reviews of the show in a way that was respectful and joyful. It became a part of the viewing experience, watching the episode when it dropped on Crave, and then watching the podcast boys break down their favourite parts. Maybe my favourite moment of these wonderful review shows was during an episode of What Chaos! where they put up a graphic with the odds of where Ilya Rozanov would sign as an MLH free agent in the show. Perfect, brilliant content. 10/10 no notes.

THIS IS SO FUNNY @WhatChaosShow pic.twitter.com/aHu1DQoR9J

— chelsea leite (@chelsealeite) December 29, 2025

Also, yes, I did reach out and pitch myself to be the official WNBA correspondent for the What Chaos! podcast, since my guys, DJ and Pete, kept referencing that they enjoy covering the WNBA. They seemed open to the idea, so here’s hoping.

As the season of Heated Rivalry progressed, it got even better (which is saying a lot because it was so good from the start), and eventually hit the global zeitgeist. It’s been breaking the fourth wall of sports, and continues to do so more each day, even weeks after the season finale aired. Hockey teams are legitimately interacting with the show, playing “All The Things She Said” at NHL games, inviting the cast to Pride Night celebrations, and posting parts from the show on social media. Hilariously enough, the Buffalo Sabres have gone on a TEAR since Heated Rivalry jokingly jabbed them in episode four, when Shane and Ilya talk about hockey cities they love or don’t love to play in, and posted about it on their social media.

Canucks broadcast examining the Sabres' W-L record since Buffalo got called out on Heated Rivalry.

Still need to know that fictional Buffalo MLH team's nickname… pic.twitter.com/R0D4lqGBeQ

— Rob Sanderson (@RobSandersonPxP) January 7, 2026

Another sidebar to say that I keep trying to get them to play “All The Things She Said” at a Raptors game, with no luck so far. The quest continues. I will keep you all updated.

Yet, maybe the biggest impact the show has the potential to make is within athletes themselves, and the culture around talking about LGBTQ+ topics as professional male athletes. As my new favourite hockey podcasts have proven to me over the past month, sports media guys are (for the most part?) pretty chill. As I said in my last post about Heated Rivalry, I knew that. I work with some incredible guys on the Toronto Raptors beat, who would have engaged in the same way should Heated Rivalry been about basketball instead of hockey. Also, if Crave wants to explore the idea of a basketball spinoff of the same subject, I would like to submit my name to write it.

Yeah, the media has been great about it, but the reality remains that there is still a rift when it comes to the teams, leagues, and athletes themselves and the topic of LGBTQ+ existence in these leagues. There are currently no openly LGBTQ+ athletes in the major men’s sports leagues. Heated Rivalry’s take on honest, human love just made those of us who follow sports IRL reflect on how these leagues and athletes are so taboo about these topics. Having these open conversations about Heated Rivalry, about the existence of Queer love in professional male sports, will hopefully continue the work of breaking down the stigma that still exists in this topic in these sports leagues. It’s more than just putting on a performative Pride Night every year; it’s normalizing these topics in conversation, in locker rooms, and removing the hateful stigma that still exists when you breach these subjects.

The truth is that there are definitely Queer athletes in the NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB and other male sports leagues; they just don’t feel safe being open about it. That’s the main conflict in the show, something the characters are constantly fighting against. Hudson Williams, the Vancouver-based actor who plays Shane Hollander, says on a new episode of Andy Cohen’s podcast that closeted professional athletes have anonymously reached out to him and the creators of the Heated Rivalry books and show. While respecting the anonymity of these players, he calls the messages “lovely,” and says they have made them realize that their “fun show” is also hitting people in a real place.

Hudson Williams talks to Andy Cohen about receiving messages from closeted pro athletes following the release of “Heated Rivalry”

Full interview will be released tomorrow https://t.co/s9Er2cmUhv pic.twitter.com/stFTEluJbT

— Hudson Williams Updates (@hudsonwupdates) January 7, 2026

Of course, in the fictional world of Heated Rivalry, (spoiler alert) a player does end up coming out publicly as gay, and the joy is palpable through the screen as Wolf Parade’s “I’ll Believe in Anything” blasts through your television speakers and likely through the walls into your neighbour’s house. You’ve told those neighbours they need to tune into the show, though, as you’ve told basically everyone in your life by now, so it’s fine. The reality is, we don’t know if that same joy would be reflected if a pro-athlete in one of these major men’s leagues were to come out in real life.

Yet, the response to this show from fans, casual sports people, and the teams themselves trepidly interacting with it, is the most anyone has ever talked about the topic of Queerness in men’s sports in recent years. Maybe some of these players who watched Heated Rivalry and saw themselves through Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, and Scott Hunter begin to warm, ever so slightly, to the idea of being as honest in their own lives. Of course, it’s not their job to, as the pressure of being one of the first to do so is not something to be taken lightly, and they deserve their privacy to come out on their own terms. Yet, if that’s something they wanted to do, it almost feels like Heated Rivalry has started a conversation that may lead to the normalization of those conversations. Or at least, bring us one step closer to normalizing those conversations.

The reality is, it’s more important than ever to be normalizing these conversations. We are in a time where the rights of LGBTQ+ people are being threatened. While these rights are being threatened in all aspects of the lives of people in this community, there is also a huge movement to strip these rights in sports, and in youth sports, especially. As Hudson says in the clip above, Heated Rivalry is a fun show, yet its place in popular culture has the potential to also make it an incredibly important piece of art. To show people who may question the rights of LGBTQ+ people that their love story and lives in general deserve to exist just as much as anyone else’s.

Harrison Browne, who makes a cameo in Heated Rivalry, is an ex-professional hockey player and the first transgender pro hockey player. He wrote about his experiences as a trans athlete, as well as the current threats to youth sports in Alberta, in the Globe and Mail this week. His article is an important and personal take on the attacks on transgender children’s access to sports that anyone should read and reflect on.

So yes, we love a spicy show about sports. We love joking about the show’s little quips about hockey, inviting ourselves to the cottage, and making too many burgers because the recipe says so. Yet, this show has started a crucially important conversation as well. It’s continued to help normalize talking about Queer content in television and Queer content in sports. It’s bringing the romance genre, something we all know sells and is wildly popular, into a new audience. It’s proving the saying “love is love,” while a little overused, is still very true; you don’t need to directly relate with the identities of Shane and Ilya — as hockey players or Queer people — to enjoy watching their love story. It’s just good television. Yet, if you do relate on either front, it’s also showing that there are a ton of people who will love and support you.

While we eagerly wait for season two information and rewatch season one a million times, hopefully, the important conversations Heated Rivalry has sparked will cause some genuinely good change in the culture of male professional sports.

Also, if they need someone to come play a sports reporter on season two, this is me formally submitting myself for consideration.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/general/49062/heated-rivalry-pride-sports-athletes-lgbtq-nba-nhl

 

[Toronto Raptors]

What can the Raptors do against the Celtics juggernaut?

In 2023, the Celtics swept the season series against the Raptors. In 2024, they did it again. In 2025, the Raptors stole one game, but were unable to force a tie. Now, in 2026, with the Raptors on pace to have their best regular season since 2020, the Celtics have beat the Raptors at home twice, once without Jaylen Brown. Now, limping into TD Garden in Boston tonight, do the Raptors have any hope of avoiding another loss to their Divisional rivals?

To say that the Celtics have had the Raptors’ number this season would be something of an understatement, and the Celtics have more than proved themselves capable of contending without Jayson Tatum, sitting atop Toronto at third in the conference standings. While the Raptors’ last loss to the Cs on December 20th can be in part chalked up to injuries to RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, the Celtics were playing without Jaylen Brown, making the excuse moot. Even with Barrett back for tonight’s game, Poeltl is still out, while Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram are both listed as day-to-day. This is far from ideal, with the Celtics back to full strength and playing at home.

The Raptors are coming off of a three game winning streak, capped off by Immanuel Quickley’s heroics in Charlotte, whereas the Celtics are coming off a close loss to the Denver Nuggets, looking to find their footing again. This will be a prime opportunity to do so. The Celtics and Raptors have developed something of an unfriendly relationship throughout the 2020s, beginning with a game 7 playoff loss in the 2020 Eastern Conference Semifinals, and most recently with Jaylen Brown’s ignorant comment suggesting that Scottie Barnes has down syndrome. However, tonight game is an unlikely chance for the Raptors to strike back, as with the probable absences of Ingram and Barnes, the Raptors’ best offensive and defensive players will be unable to contribute and keep the team competitive against the Celtics.

This game should be an opportunity, rather, to further see what the Raps’ bench can do. Collin Murray-Boyles has been on fire recently, pulling in a career high 15 rebounds against the Charlotte Hornets, and having him step in for Scottie will be an opportunity for the rookie to show out. Boyles is in many ways Scottie Barnes-lite, combining defensive prowess with strong facilitation skills. Whether he steps up in the paint against Boston will mean the difference between a close game and a blowout tonight. Jamal Shead has been putting up consistent numbers of late, while Sandro Mamukelashvili has provided solid scoring when forced into the starting lineup. In the absence of Ingram, one player to watch will be Gradey Dick, whose scoring has oscillated wildly between good bench numbers, and near absence from the box score. The Raptors have a low-pressure opportunity tonight to try out defensive schemes to try and see what works well against their potential playoff opponents, but with high likelihood of a Barnes and Ingram absence, expectations from fans should be moderated in this Eastern Conference clash.

Game Information and Details​

Game Time: 7:00 EST

Watch On: SportsNet

Injury Report:

Toronto: Jakob Poeltl (Out – back), Brandon Ingram (Day-To-Day – thumb), Scottie Barnes (Day-To-Day – knee)

Celtics: Josh Minott (Out – ankle)

Projected Lineups

Toronto: Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja’Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Sandro Mamukelashvili

Boston: Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/general/4...lin-murray-boyles-scottie-barnes-jaylen-brown

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Shorthanded Raptors fall to Celtics despite bench performance

The Toronto Raptors closed out their brief road trip in a matchup against the Boston Celtics. Shorthanded and facing a hot-handed Celtics team almost at full strength proved to be too much for the Raptors. Despite the strong defensive effort and scoring from the bench, it wasn’t enough to bring Toronto another win as they fell to the Celtics 117-125.

Boston lost Jayson Tatum for the season a while ago, but despite his absence, Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown have shone. They are both able to score and facilitate for their teammates. Pritchard’s timing and shot selection made him an efficient scorer, finishing with 27-5-8 on 12-19 shooting. Brown’s shooting wasn’t as effective, but he found ways to get to the line where he converted every shot, contributing to the 25-8-7 he closed the game with. Despite struggling, his gravity on the floor helped open up space for everyone else. His absences from the court usually saw Boston either losing its lead at least in part.

RJ and IQ were both big factors in this game, as anyone could have expected. They finished with 19-4-7 and 17-2-13 respectively. While both did a bit of everything, they faced tough competition in the top half of Boston’s lineup, needing the bench to play winning minutes. Jamal Shead and Alijah Martin played phenomenal defence that helped make that happen, chipping in 13 points and 7 assists and 7 points and 3 assists, respectively. Ja’Kobe Walter and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles also both had solid games on both ends of the court. Ja’Kobe ended with 19 points shooting 5-9 from 3-point territory while CMB had 7 points to go along with his defence.

Gimme dat pic.twitter.com/I8hwKSMRWY

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 10, 2026

The Celtics started with the ball and were able to convert on their first possession by way of free throws. Their offence looked smooth early, taking advantage of one of the more unique starting lineups of the season touching the floor for Toronto, composed of Ja’Kobe, RJ, Mamu, IQ, and CMB. Everything was finding the bottom of the basket Boston, who shot over 70% from the floor for much of the first frame.

For the Raptors, Immanuel Quickley showed his intention to lead the Raptors in this game by shooting early and often and converting a pair of long range shots in the opening minutes. He also facilitated well, finding guys running the floor and cutting to the basket.

Here’s a perfect example:

The two-man game pic.twitter.com/npBGBiGbYJ

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 10, 2026

Toronto had their work cut out for them, lacking Scottie, BI, and Jak. The lineup needed to be bolstered by the two-way guys in Martin and Lawson who have been having a record year with the 905. Both touched the floor early on in the game. It wasn’t to the Raptors’ detriment though, as they went toe-to-toe with the Celtics’ bench and came out on top.

It didn’t hurt to have a play like this to really get the guys going:

DAYYUM

that timeout came quick sheeeeesh pic.twitter.com/dHIaRPOOcp

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 10, 2026

The bench brought the Raps back into the game during the second quarter. They briefly held a lead around the halfway point of the second period, but proceeded to allow transition scoring and second-chance points, rapidly giving it back to the Celtics who again built a multi-possession advantage. To make matters worse, they struggled to score as well in the closing stretch of the half, turning over the ball or missing their first shot of the possession and failing to corral the rebound. Down by 8, they headed to the locker room.

In the third, the Raptors’ offence stalled a bit while Boston continued to get shooters open along the 3-point line. Jaylen Brown was able to draw fouls and add to the score with the clock stopped. Despite strong efforts from RJ and IQ, they weren’t able to get much going on either end of the court. Now, 20 points behind, the bench returned. Then it felt like a totally different game again. Shot clock violations, forced turnovers, and jump balls were the bread and butter for this team with the bench on the floor. By the time the quarter was over, they were within 11.

ALIJAH GOT THAT BOUNCE pic.twitter.com/itOoYWnbpe

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 10, 2026

Making their final push, Toronto made it within two possessions. Boston called a timeout, made some adjustments, and returned with a fury. RJ went down with an apparent ankle injury that hopefully isn’t serious, but that appeared to be the final straw for the Raptors tonight. Ja’Kobe was able to chip in a couple more 3-pointers and some strong defensive effort from Martin and CMB to close out the game were positive notes.

Interestingly, everyone who came off the bench boasted a positive plus minus while all five starters were in the negative. Although they lost the game, they won their bench minutes, which isn’t something they’ve been able to say over the last couple seasons.

Next, the Raptors return home for back-to-back games against Philly. Tune in Sunday at 6pm ET to catch the action.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...ors-fall-to-celtics-despite-bench-performance

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Toronto Raptors celebrate a decade of life-changing fellowship

NBA basketball obviously changes lives for those who step onto the court as players, but as the Toronto Raptors have proven for the past decade, it has the potential to change lives off the court as well. For nearly 10 years, the Raptors have run the Wayne & Theresa Embry Fellowship, a 13-month-long program designed to give fellows hands-on experience in every aspect of an NBA team. This program takes dedicated and passionate people and helps them launch their careers in sport.

The fellowship is open to Canadians who want firsthand experience in the NBA, and the Raptors commit to making sure one of the two fellows each year is part of a marginalized community. Named after Wayne and Theresa Embry, the fellowship looks for candidates who embody the Embrys’ core values of perseverance, passion, purpose, persistence, perception, performance, preparation and pride.

This year’s fellows, Abby Bruyer and Justina King, are about halfway through their experience in the fellowship. After starting in the summer, Bruyer and King have spent time rotating between the various departments within the Toronto Raptors franchise, while spending dedicated time learning and experiencing the life in roles they have chosen to focus on. For Bruyer, that’s Front Office and Salary Cap Strategy, and for King, it’s Coaching and Player Development.

“The main reason I applied was for the rotational aspect of the program,” Bruyer said in an interview with Raptors HQ. “Not only do we get to spend time in the area that we want to work in, but you get to touch every area of the organization, see how everyone works together. Wanting to work in the front office, I thought that was super valuable,” Bruyer says.

Both fellows have completed rotations with departments like Public Relations, the Raptors 905 in the G-League, and Equipment Management. When they aren’t on a rotation, Bruyer spends her time working with the team’s front office staff, while King sticks with the coaching staff.

“I spend a lot of time in the front office,” Bruyer says of her day-to-day tasks. She has projects she is working on while also completing her rotations. “I think my favourite rotation was actually public relations, since I don’t have any experience in media,” she says, as she came to the fellowship directly after completing law school. “Seeing behind the scenes is really eye-opening,” Bruyer said.

“I’m attending coaching meetings, going to practice, game planning for our next opponent, prepping for practices,” King says of her day-to-day tasks within her area of focus. Before Raptors games, you can usually spot King on the court with players and coaches, helping them warm up and run drills. Her experience as a part-time assistant coach with the Raptors 905 last year opened her eyes to the career that could be ahead of her.

“[When applying] my first thought was ‘why would they pick me?’ but then I changed my mindset to ‘why wouldn’t they pick me?‘” King says of her decision to put her name in for the fellowship a year ago. When it comes to advice for people applying this season, King says to stay true to who you are, put your best foot forward, and remember that no two people have the same experience coming into it or even leaving it.

“As long as you have a passion for basketball, you have commitment to the game, and you want to work in the NBA, just use anything you can to back that up and show what you’ve done so far,” Bruyer says as advice to applicants.

While Bruyer and King still have a lot of time to think about their next steps after the fellowship is over, they are both confident that the experience they are gaining now will only lead to exciting opportunities. Plus, they get the added excitement of feeling like they are genuinely contributing to the success of the Toronto Raptors organization during the year they are fellows.

Another milestone in Bruyer and King’s fellowship journey: they mark the first time in the program’s history that both fellows are women.

“I think that’s one thing that’s super cool about being with the Raptors, how much they take pride in that,” King says of the franchise’s commitment to help women advance their careers in the male-dominated NBA space. “Seeing us as the fellows this year is a testament to the organization’s leadership [in that aspect].”

“You’re seeing that change with more women in sports,” King continues, “and I just want to continue to lead that path for women coming up. The more we get our foot in the door, the more we can help each other. That’s the best thing we can do for each other as women [in the NBA].”

Applications for next year’s fellowship program close on January 18, 2026. Head to the fellowship’s website linked here to read about application requirements and to submit your application before the deadline. You can also head to the program’s Instagram account @raptorsfellow for more information.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-f...elebrate-a-decade-of-life-changing-fellowship

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Shorthanded Toronto Raptors pull out thrilling overtime victory

Darko Rajakovic and I have differing opinions on the idea of playing a team back-to-back. Rajakovic, as he told the media before Sunday’s Toronto Raptors game, loves the idea of it. Being able to scout the same opponent in one week gives him similar feelings to those of a playoff run. While he would prefer having a day off in between games to practice and get some film in, the idea of playing the 76ers two days in a row is thrilling to Rajakovic.

I’m not as enthused.

There are perks, of course. Kyle Lowry did a scrum with the media before the game, chatting about being in his 20th NBA season (presumably his last), retiring in Toronto, and his Auston Matthews jersey. Nick Nurse is back, and he got issued a technical foul just minutes into the first quarter. Joel Embiid was ruled out of Sunday’s game, and while we don’t wish injury upon anyone here, there also is no denying the perk of not having to watch him merchant fouls all night.

Those perks were a little outweighed by what Toronto is dealing with right now. RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, and Jakob Poeltl were all ruled out of the game earlier in the day. Ingram was injured in the game against Charlotte last week, and Barrett was injured in the game against Boston. Poeltl is out “indefinitely,” according to Rajakovic. Barnes made his return, but missing three starters isn’t good, and just as they threw Ja’Kobe Walter into the mix as a starter, he was injured himself just minutes into the game, leaving for the night.

With three starters out, it was up to Scottie Barnes to deliver, despite his returning from his own injury tonight. Like the All-Star candidate he his, Barnes took on the offensive and defensive responsibilities, and it worked. The Raptors led by 10 points at halftime, but a deflated third quarter where they were outscored 36-18 caused the 76ers to gain their own double-digit lead heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter saw the score even up a little more, but other than Barnes, no one really took over for Toronto. Philly’s Tyrese Maxey flirted with a 30-piece, and while Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamal Shead stepped up for the Raptors, they still trailed heading into clutch time. Who else other than Scottie Barnes to give the team a burst of hope in the final minutes, via a slam dunk that just about shook the roof off Scotiabank Arena?

With a few massive plays, Barnes brought the Raptors one point ahead of the 76ers. Yet it was a travel call on a basket that shifted the momentum back towards Philly, and a Tyrese Maxey three-point shot almost was the nail in the coffin. That Maxey loves to be a Raptor Killer, he does it every time.

Immanuel Quickley responded with his own clutch long two-point shot, bringing Toronto within a possession of the 76ers. Darko wisely used his second challenge of the night to get Toronto the ball with 11 seconds to go in the game, down two points. Miraculously, it was those challenges and a clutch final possession that forced overtime for the Raptors. FREE HOOPS!

Overtime was frustrating to start, though, with calls not going in the Raptors’ favour and Scottie even receiving a tech of his own. With 15 seconds left in OT, the score was tied AGAIN at 115-115. Scottie was able to get a few free throws, making the first and conveniently missing the second to let the clock run out and secure the 116-115 win for the Raptors. What. A. Game.

“How hard this team is playing is giving us a chance every single night,” said Rajakovic after the game. When asked about Scottie Barnes putting up 31 points, he said, “I’m a broken record talking about Scottie. When you need a rebound, he gets you a rebound. When you need a bucket, he gets you a bucket. When you need a stop, he gets you one. God blessed me to have a player like him.”

This game was just proof that Scottie Barnes is an ALL-STAR. He put the team on his back and was the biggest reason they were able to win. It was so much so that Barnes received MVP chants from the crowd at the end of the game as the Raptors secured the win.

“Toronto is special,” Barnes said in response to those chants.

The Raptors have no time to recover, though, as they will be back at it tomorrow at 7:30 pm against the Sixers again.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...o-raptors-philadelphia-sixers-nba-game-barnes

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Toronto can expect these adjustments from Philly tonight

It might feel like deja vu, but for the second time in two days, the Toronto Raptors will be going toe-to-toe with the Philadelphia 76ers. Toronto is now 2-1 in the series, hoping to secure a 3-1 lead, and with that, a tiebreaker that could become more significant when it comes time for the postseason.

Last night’s contest was a thrilling one, with the heroics of Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamal Shead leading the way. Despite being down with seconds left, the rook made the right call to dish the ball to give us one of the most exciting plays of the season so far:

WE'RE HEADING TO OT https://t.co/fGu2PQyaKq pic.twitter.com/e4CBx3tpee

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 12, 2026

CMB finished the game with 17 points and 15 rebounds, 7 of which were offensive. He had 4 of Toronto’s 9 points in overtime as well. Shead finished with 22 points and 6 assists while continuing to play tremendous defence. For the Sixers, the backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe led the way. Maxey had 38-4-5 while Edgecombe finished with 17-4-4 who continues to have a great start to his rookie campaign.

It’s not often in the regular season that teams get to play each other back-to-back, especially within such a short timeframe, allowing for a unique opportunity for them to make quick adjustments.

Philly will likely try to force the Raptors outside of the paint. Cutting off passing lanes, especially on the inside will be a priority as they were some of the most crucial plays for Toronto. They finished with 68 paint points, around 15 more than they do on average.

Packing the paint and trying to force the Raptors to shoot will be a necessary strategy, where they were only 16% beyond the arc last night. Toronto has been struggling all season with consistency from long range and although they overcame a bad night like that last night, to do it twice in a row against the same team is almost impossible.

Toronto also feasted on transition points, scoring 17 on fast breaks, fueled by the steals and blocks of IQ and Alijah Martin.

The simplest answer for the Raptors is to keep doing what worked and adjust to what Philly gives them. Shooters like Jamison Battle (who went 0-2) and Gradey Dick (0-1) need to be ready. If Toronto sees a zone defence at all, they need to be confident and knock down their shots, keeping the paint open for drivers and cutters to keep scoring inside.

They also need to clean up their turnovers, where Philly was able to score 23 points. Getting back in transition and preventing easy baskets will be crucial, especially if tonight turns out to be another close game.

Depending on who suits up for this matchup, the outcome could be very different. RJ, BI, and Ja’Kobe who can all shoot from distance were missed, but it’s still unclear what the severity of their injuries are or if they’ll be back tonight. Similarly, if Embiid is able to check in, his size alone could make things very challenging for Toronto to score inside.

Injuries​

Neither team has formally submitted their report yet, due to the quick turnover between games, but we can expect at least the following players to be on our radar as they sat out (or left) Sunday’s game.

Toronto – RJ Barrett ( ankle), Brandon Ingram (thumb), Jakob Poeltl (back), Ja’Kobe Walter (hip).

Philadelphia – Joel Embiid (knee/groin), Paul George (knee)

Probable Starters​

Toronto – Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, Jamal Shead, Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter

Philadelphia – Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre Jr., VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, Dominick Barlow

Where to Watch​

Tune in on Sportsnet at 7:30pm.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/general/49113/toronto-can-expect-these-adjustments-from-philly-tonight