RSS Raptors Team Notes

[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

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Could injuries unveil hidden gems for the Toronto Raptors?

If the Toronto Raptors asked for good health to begin the new year, no one would have faulted them despite injuries increasingly becoming a norm to the NBA experience.

Canada’s lone basketball franchise has embarked on a tumultuous adventure of a season lined with just enough intrigue to have basketball fans wondering what exactly this team is capable of.

The Raptors (23-16) welcome the Philadelphia 76ers (21-15) to Toronto for a rare two-game set. Tip-off for game one is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. EST on Sportsnet.

Both teams understand that their best chance of remaining out of the play-in is by staying healthy and winning games against Eastern Conference rivals that neighbour them in the standings.

Here are three storylines to consider ahead of the matchup.

Welcome to The Pitt​

The Raptors have arguably done a masterful job of navigating through the injuries of Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett. Through the emergence of Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin-Murray Boyles’ growth and Scottie Barnes asserting himself as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Toronto is 10-8 without Poeltl. They also went 7-9 without RJ Barrett.

Toronto learned a lot about itself through these trials and tribulations. While they have the pieces to scrape by, the Raptors can’t sustain a consistent level of play without a true centre, especially against the upper echelon of the league. And while they kept their heads above water in the 16 games without Barrett, the Raptors’ offence was prone to abysmal slumps without the Canadian wing.

Complicating matters is that they’ve gotten lucky with the health of Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes – until now. Both are questionable ahead of their matchup against the 76ers. Ingram’s sprained thumb snapped his streak of appearances at 38 games, the highest mark since he played 35 straight contests in 2023-24. Barnes hasn’t played in more than 65 games since his first two seasons in the league. He isn’t injury prone but Barnes’ bowling ball offence and free safety type of defence often puts his body in precarious positions.

With Barrett officially designated as out due to his ankle and Poeltl continuing to recover from his back injury, it means the Raptors may be without four starters against another team in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Good luck with those guys​

76ers head coach Nick Nurse and his travelling circus have recently been leaving reminders that there’s a sleeping giant somewhere in Philadelphia. They’re 5-1 in their last six games, with the lone stumble being a 125-124 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

At full strength, this team is terrifyingly talented. They have enough defence and three-point shooting from their role players. At the same time, their offensive core is capable of going nuclear without giving notice. Joel Embiid has played in six consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 25 of the 2023-24 season. During this stretch, he’s averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.

Tyrese Maxey has always given the Raptors fits since entering the league, but this latest version of the fleet-footed guard is a whole different beast. Maxey is averaging a career-high 30.7 points per game, good for third in the league behind the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Rookie sensation VJ Edgecombe recently had his streak of double-digit scoring snapped at 14 games but his athleticism will surely be problematic for the Raptors’ defence. Paul George may still be coming to terms with being lower in the pecking order, though that hasn’t prevented him from being brilliant on both sides of the ball lately.

Kelly Oubre finally returned to action after missing 22 games with a knee injury. A lack of rhythm defines his first two games back, but he has historically had great games against the Raptors.

Call “5”…and whoever else is available​

With Immanuel Quickley being the last starter standing, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic will again be asked to cast a wide net for his rotation. The trio of Jonathan Mogbo, Alijah Martin, and A.J. Lawson finally took a break from bullying G-League players for the Raptors 905 and logged meaningful minutes against the Boston Celtics on Jan. 9. While they didn’t produce noteworthy stat lines, they played admirably, and subsequently will be leaned on to minimize damage while the starters are out.

It was also interesting that Ochai Agbaji didn’t see the court against the Celtics. He’s been the subject of trade rumours on social media.

Mamukelashvili, Murray-Boyles, and Jamal Shead have earned the trust of the coaching staff and fan base. It’s easy to assume that they’ll step up in an elevated role. The potential x-factor could instead be Ja’Kobe Walter. The sophomore hit five threes and finished with 19 points against Boston. Both totals were a season-high. If Walter’s confidence soars with the added responsibilities, then there may be some good that comes out of the Raptors’ injury woes.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...es-unveil-hidden-gems-for-the-toronto-raptors

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Kyle Lowry receives emotional ovation in Toronto

Last night’s Toronto Raptors game was so bad that it doesn’t warrant a recap. If you saw it, you know. If you didn’t, the Raptors got blown out by the Sixers, who welcomed back both Joel Embiid and Paul George into the lineup. It sucked.

What didn’t suck, though, was Kyle Lowry entering the game in the final minutes. Up in the media section of the arena, we wondered all game if it would happen. It was (almost) worth them beating the Raptors so badly, because if it were another close game, we likely would not have had that moment. With about 8 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the “we want Lowry” chants started in the arena. In the waning minutes of a game that was already over, score-wise, Nick Nurse gave us what we wanted and called on Lowry to enter the game. It was only his 6th appearance in an NBA game this season.

The arena erupted. It was one of those moments that made me remember that what I do, and the fact that I get to be present for so many of these big moments, isn’t normal. It’s really a privilege. I sat up there, experiencing this moment of sports euphoria, and witnessed a good guy get an ovation that he 100% deserves. After the game, Lowry called that moment “one of the best basketball moments in his personal career.” It was special.

It was very likely his last time visiting Toronto as a full-time NBA player. It’s his 20th season, something he told the media on Sunday was a milestone he wanted to hit, because it’s a tiny and elite club. He said he made sure to get the blessing from his kids to go through another season in the NBA; everything he said about it all had the slightest hint of him knowing this was it.

The Raptors recognized that too, doing things like filling the digital frames outside the visitors’ locker room with iconic pictures of Lowry as a Raptor. The 76ers made him available to the media on both days of the back-to-back, giving the media ample time to get their questions in.

While this was likely his last visit as a full-time player, Kyle Lowry will have his moment to get his true flowers from the Raptors and the city of Toronto. He plans to sign a 1-day contract when he is sure he is done playing, just to make sure he retires as a Toronto Raptor. When that day comes, there is no doubt the red carpet will be rolled out for him, that every seat will be filled, and that he will be given the send-off he deserves.

When you think about Lowry’s impact on this organization and this city, it’s so much more than the game itself. Of course, it is about the game, as the peak of his experience here was bringing the Raptors their first championship in 2019. Yet, he also had a huge hand in turning this town into a Basketball City. It’s because of his dedication, passion, and intensity that the fans in turn developed that same dedication, passion and intensity from the stands. He is an ambassador for a movement of culture and pride in Toronto.

So yes, that ovation and the response he got during last night’s game were warranted. It was exciting and emotional to witness. It made the sting of a bad loss wane a little. It was a reminder of how far we’ve come and how fun the ride has been.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-f...e-lowry-receives-emotional-ovation-in-toronto

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors continue week of confronting past demons in matchup vs. Pacers

The Toronto Raptors are learning more about themselves. That’s important because with the season officially reaching the halfway point, there remains a litany of questions about who this team is and what they’re capable of.

When the NBA released its schedule, this particular week always stood out with dramatic potential for the Raptors. This team is perfectly suited for the therapeutic mise-en-scène of confronting past demons in the effort to discover one’s potential. There’s something grand about centring the past to find out whether or not an organization is finally ready to evolve and move forward.

The Raptors take the next step in their journey of self-discovery when they play the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

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

After the Raptors split an emotional two-game set against Kyle Lowry and Nick Nurse, and before they can set their sights on Kawhi Leonard on Friday, the team must prepare for Pascal Siakam and the Pacers. Despite living at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, the Pacers currently feel great about themselves because of a three-game winning streak.

Here are three more storylines to consider ahead of the matchup.

Spare parts​

Unfortunately for the Raptors, Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett’s names have become staples on this year’s injury reports. The team has done a sterling job of keeping their head above water during their absences.

But Toronto’s next-man-up mentality may finally be pushed to its limit. Ja’Kobe Walter is out with a right hip pointer and Sandro Mamukelashvili is questionable due to an illness.

While Walter is struggling with consistency, the 21-year-old is still the team’s best three-point shooter at 36.7 per cent. Only Jamison Battle (44.7 per cent) and A.J Lawson (40.0 per cent) are more efficient, but they don’t play enough meaningful minutes to crack the rotation.

Mamukelashvili continues to show why he might be the greatest free agent signing in Raptors history. His only missed game was back on Nov. 11 against the Brooklyn Nets. If Mamukelashvili isn’t able to go against the Pacers, expect rookie Collin Murray-Boyles to play an even larger role. The Pacers don’t present the type of threat at the five spot like the Philadelphia 76ers do, but Murray-Boyles’ productivity goes a long way in preserving Scottie Barnes’ longevity this year.

With increased responsibility, Murray-Boyles is averaging 10.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in January.

Keep pace​

The Pacers were unfairly indoctrinated into the ‘finals hangover’ club. Not only did they lose their engine in Tyrese Haliburton, but they also dealt with a plethora of injuries to other players. Obi Toppin hasn’t played since a foot injury he suffered on Oct. 26. Isaiah Jackson hasn’t suited up in 2026 due to a concussion. Meanwhile, Benedict Maturin is a game-time decision because of a thumb injury.

Significant pieces to the Pacers’ rotation have also missed time throughout the first half of the season, including Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, T.J. McConnell, and Ben Sheppard.

But Indiana is whole again, or at least closer than ever, and the renewed vigour inside the locker room is translating to on-court success.

It starts with Siakam, who is averaging 23.5 points on 51.3 per cent (season-high) during six games in January. The former Raptor has his confidence back, a potential byproduct of the team’s reinforcements inching the team closer to something more reminiscent of last year’s Pacer squad.

An unexpected twist in the Pacers’ upside-down season has been the emergence, downward spiral, and then re-emergence of Jay Huff. After being traded to the Pacers in the off-season, the big man is now on his fifth team in five seasons. While that’s typically a red flag for someone who entered the league as an older rookie, Huff is experiencing his best season as a professional.

Huff is third in the league in blocks at 2.1 per game. It’s a massive leap considering Huff has never averaged one block a game. He’s also averaging a career-high in three-pointers made (1.4) and rebounds (3.7) in 20.0 minutes of action.

Something new​

The Raptors began the season realizing they needed a significant source of scoring and hustle off the bench. A golden opportunity was subsequently placed in front of the trio of Walter, Ochai Agbaji, and Gradey Dick.

While there’s something valid about the challenges that come with playing off the bench, particularly with a small runway for mistakes, Raptors fans can’t help but be disappointed by the returns. Each of the three has shown promising moments in past seasons, specifically when granted extended playing time, but their lack of consistency has forced head coach Darko Rajakovic’s hand.

Rajakovic’s latest decision has paved the way for Alijah Martin. The second-round rookie is averaging 7.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in 18.6 minutes over the last three contests. Martin isn’t necessarily scorching the earth during this stretch (he’s shooting 33.3 per cent from the field and 10.0 per cent from three) but there’s an undeniable swagger to his game. His G-League numbers suggest that his current efficiency isn’t indicative of his skill set. In 14 games with the dominant Raptors 905, Martin is averaging 18.7 points on 49.7 per cent, while clocking in at 41.8 per cent from the perimeter.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...-confronting-past-demons-in-matchup-vs-pacers

 

[Zedster]

That overtime win against Philly was something else. Barnes really showed why he deserves those All-Star and MVP chants - 31 points while coming back from injury and carrying a shorthanded roster is impressive stuff. The way he hit that dunk in clutch time to shift momentum back to Toronto was the kind of play that separates good players from great ones.

The injury situation is concerning though. Having Poeltl, Barrett, Ingram, and now Walter all out at the same time is rough, especially heading into a stretch where they're playing teams they need to beat for playoff positioning. Murray-Boyles stepping up with that 17-15 line and the clutch dish to force OT was exactly what you want to see from a young player getting thrown into the fire.

The Lowry moment was really nice to see, even if the context of that blowout loss wasn't ideal. Twenty seasons in this league is remarkable, and the reception he got from the Toronto crowd showed how much that championship run meant to everyone. Hard to believe that 2019 run was already seven years ago.

Curious to see how the Siakam reunion goes tonight. The Pacers have been playing better lately and Pascal seems to have found his rhythm again. Should be an interesting matchup with all the roster shuffling Toronto's been doing.

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Short-handed Raptors fall 111-107 in overtime to the Clippers

With all due respect to the paying customers of Scotiabank Arena, the NBA’s best players continue missing games in Toronto.

Kawhi Leonard joined the growing list of stars to not suit up against the Raptors, including Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown.

Lucky for Los Angeles, they still have another All-Star who can both entertain and frustrate the opposition’s fans, James Harden.

The Bearded One overcame a slow first half to lead the visiting Clippers to a thrilling overtime win over the short-handed Raptors. Harden finished with 31 points and 10 assists. He received help up and down the roster as three other starters and two bench players each scored in double figures. Ivica Zubac had a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. In addition to being a pest all night on defense, Kris Dunn finished with 15 points and 4 steals. Jordan Miller led all reserves with 19 points and 6 assists, to go along with a game-high +20.

For most of the game, Toronto was led by Jamal Shead, who ended up with 15 points and a career-high 13 assists. Scottie Barnes took over in the overtime period, ultimately leading the Raptors with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Heading into this matchup, the Clippers had rebounded from a 6-21 start, winning 11 of its previous 13 games (now 12 of 14). In addition to Kawhi’s absence (knee), Los Angeles was also Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring), Derrick Jones Jr. (knee), Patrick Baldwin Jr. (hip), and Chris Paul (uuhhhh).

The injury report remained long for the Raptors as they were without Jakob Poeltl (back), RJ Barrett (ankle), Immanuel Quickley (back spasms), Ja’Kobe Walter (hip pointer), Jamison Battle (ankle), and Chucky Hepburn (knee).

With Kawhi out, LA’s offense was clearly going to be very Harden-heavy. Darko Rajakovic held no punches and started the game with Scottie Barnes guarding the . On one of the first possessions, Harden called for a screen from Ivica Zubac, who was being guarded by Collin Murray-Boyles. Suffice to say, the possession ended with the Clippers not scoring.

Scottie Barnes + Collin Murray-Boyles have the BEST 2-man duo Defensive Rating in the league the last 7 games.

2 DPOY-calibre players. pic.twitter.com/uyeXpcnSbs

— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) January 17, 2026

Brandon Ingram has played well against the Clippers, mainly with his time on the Pelicans. On one sequence, he patiently waited for Harden to finish his dribble-shimmy-dance routine and blocked a stepback three attempt. Before Harden could complain for a foul call, Brandon was already sprinting out for an eventual fastbreak layup.

Halfway through the first quarter, Toronto had 10 fastbreak points, forced 3 turnovers, and had jumped out to an 18-4 lead.

With Quickley out for a second consecutive game, Jamal Shead took the proverbial bull by the horns. The Houston Cougar alum took advantage of the attention given to Ingram and Barnes to torch the Clippers with 10 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds in the first quarter alone!

Just like in Indiana, Toronto grabbed an early lead and didn’t let up. The Raptors ended the first quarter with a 32-24 lead, holding Los Angeles to 43% shooting and 20% from three, including 0-5 from Harden.

While the first 12 minutes were highlighted by Toronto’s ability to get out in transition, the offense slowed down in the second quarter when Ingram and Barnes took turns resting. Instead the relied on its defense to stem the Clipper tide. At the center of that defense — as has been the growing case since Poeltl’s injury — was Murray-Boyles.

CMB and Barnes surprised Zubac with a well-timed double-team, causing Big Z into a traveling violation. Shortly after, CMB doubled the ballhandler, then somehow recovered in time to block the three-point attempt. On a nightly basis, Collin has at least one defensive highlight that makes your jaw drop. If nothing else happens, Murray-Boyles has injected a similar kind of excitement that Barnes once garnered.

Toronto’s offense went through a bit of a lull in the second quarter as Los Angeles slowly crept back into the game. By the time Rajakovic called a timeout with 3:52 remaining in the second quarter, the Clippers had whittled the deficit down to 46-43.

CMB doing it on both ends:
– Accurate kickout to the corner for 3
– Emphatic block at the rim
– Smart move to create room to score pic.twitter.com/tvZ2WmOYEK

— William Lou (@william_lou) January 17, 2026

Toronto’s on-ball defense on Harden was excellent throughout the first half. Whether it was Barnes, Murray-Boyles, or even Gradey Dick guarding him, Harden simply could not generate enough separation for a clean shot. Not long after airballing a three-pointer — his sixth straight miss from beyond the arc to start the game — Harden was finally able knock down a three.

Three was actually the magic number for the Clippers in the first half. Kobe Sanders, Cam Christie, Kris Dunn, Jordan Miller, Zubac, and Harden each scored three field goals apiece! While it took the rest of them between 3 to 5 attempts to get there, Harden needed 13 attempts.

Toronto carried a 61-52 lead into halftime.

Clippers came out of halftime scorching hot and focused, scoring 16 of the first 18 points of the third quarter and grabbing (and extending) its first lead of the game, 68-63.

After leading wire-to-wire against the Pacers, Toronto took it to heart after seeing themselves trailing. An Ingram triple was followed by a Mamu run! Sandro Mamukelashvili almost single-handedly snapped the Raptors out of its funk, scoring the next 7 Toronto points and pushing the Raps back into the lead, 73-72.

Cue Gradey Dick’s music! The reigning Raptors Chain recipient hit back-to-back threes to bring the crowd to their feet. Then, to top it off, dove for a loose ball and threw an outlet to fellow Jayhawk, Ochai Agbaji, for a breakaway opportunity. Agbaji was fouled, but drained the ensuring free throws to raise the lead to nine.

GRADEY SAID BET pic.twitter.com/9LHDKeJJE3

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 17, 2026

The Raptors ended up closing the quarter on an 8-1 run to enter the final quarter with an 89-78 lead.

Similar to the second and third quarters, Ty Lue and his group of ragtag Clippers clawed their way back into the game. A contested triple by Brook Lopez (remember him?) cut the lead to 89-87. After a Darko timeout, a layup by Christie completed an 11-0 run by Los Angeles to tie the game.

Both teams got contributions up and down the roster. After CMB scored an and-1 layup to put the Raptors up 109-101 lead with 3:35 remaining, 13 different players were in double-figures — yet not a single player had reached 20 points.

From there, it was the James Harden show. After being kept in check for most of the game, Harden scored the game’s next 8 points while the Clippers defense kept Toronto from scoring. Both teams were unable to score in each of their last two possessions, including a potential game-winning, buzzer-beater, which Harden missed.

In the extra session, Harden grifted his way to charity stripe on consecutive possessions, giving the Clippers a 4-point edge. Both foul calls were touchy at best, but when you’re a veteran like Harden, you know how to work the referees.

Do the math on the previous 3 paragraphs and the tally reads: Harden — 12; Raptors — 0, spanning five minutes of game play between the fourth quarter and overtime. Barnes took the early deficit in overtime as a sign to take over. All in all, Scottie and James went back and forth throughout the extra period, scoring 8 points each. Ultimately, the Raptors couldn’t get a single point to end regulation and put the game away, or find ways to stop Harden in overtime to regain momentum.

The Clippers may have won because of Harden’s heroics, but he wouldn’t have had that opportunity if it wasn’t for the help of his teammates. Cam Christie chipped in with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting off the bench. Kobe Sanders amassed 13 points and 3 steals, stepping into the starting lineup for the ailing Leonard.

For the Raptors, Gradey Dick had a second consecutive positive game, finishing with 15 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Ingram (19 points), Mamukelashvili (13 points), Murray-Boyles (11 points), and Ochai Agbaji (15 points) also scored in double-figures. Shead’s 8 first-half assists tied a season-high for any half this season.

Toronto heads out for a five-game road trip, starting in Los Angeles (the Lakers, this time) on Sunday. With the trade deadline less than 3 weeks away and the Raptors seemingly in every single rumour, the team’s resolve will be tested as they cling to the 4th spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...s-recap-lose-111-107-in-overtime-james-harden

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors host Kawhi and the Clippers as week of familiar faces continues

First there was a back-to-back against the Philadelphia 76ers, coached by Nick Nurse and featuring the G.R.O.A.T himself, Kyle Lowry, in what was likely his last appearance in a game in Toronto. Then there was Wednesday’s game against Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers.

Now, the Raptors’ week of familiar faces culminates in a contest at Scotiabank Arena against Kawhi Leonard, the franchise’s only ever Finals MVP (to date), and the Los Angeles Clippers.

While the Clippers’ 17-23 record isn’t anything to write home about, they are currently on a four-game winning streak, and have won 11 of their last 13 games. As the Clippers continue their steady ascent into the middle of the Western Conference pack, they face a Raptors team that is just one game out of second in the East.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Sportsnet.

Here are some storylines to consider ahead of the matchup:

Everybody flex​

With Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter all out, plus Jamison Battle leaving mid-game, Gradey Dick was afforded an opportunity on Wednesday night to play an increased role coming off the bench. Dick was fairly pedestrian from three, shooting just 1/5 from beyond the arc — and yet it was one of his best games of the season.

Dick registered his first career double-double, playing 30 minutes and putting up 21 points, 11 rebounds and three assists on 9/15 shooting. His effort earned him the Raptors’ chain, and led to the post-game photo we’ve all been waiting for: the whole team doing the customary Gradey Dick flex. Tonight, with the Raptors still short-handed, Dick will look to build off his recent success, which has involved finishing strong at the bucket and playing well as a roller. Now the key question is whether he can get out of his shooting funk.

View this post on Instagram

Klawing back​

The Clippers have won 11 of their last 13 games, and Kawhi Leonard has been the engine behind their turnaround. Leonard is averaging 32.7 points per game across that 13-game span, including a 55-point performance against the first-place Detroit Pistons. His dominance is a familiar sight for Raptors fans (apparently it’s been six years??!!) — but now the Raptors will need to throw everything they can to slow down the surging 34-year-old forward. Look for a mix of sturdy wings like Scottie Barnes, Ochai Agbaji and even the rookie Collin Murray-Boyles to have a go at defending him.

Next man up​

The Raptors’ stretch of playing shorthanded will continue tonight, with Barrett, Poeltl and Walter all being ruled out with their respective injuries. The team is also likely to miss the spacing that Battle affords them, as he’s doubtful with an ankle injury, and Quickley and Mamukelashvili are both questionable. While All-Star voting is now closed, Barnes and Ingram can continue to make their cases for the team by carrying the load for the shorthanded squad. Players like Agbaji and A.J. Lawson also figure to play “next man up” roles for the team.

But the biggest revelation from the team’s shorthanded stretch has been the rookie, Collin Murray-Boyles. Poeltl’s absence has given CMB a runway to establish himself as an impressively stout defender — he’s 99th percentile in the league in deflections — and a promising offensive player who’s just scratching the surface of his upside. Over his last six games, Murray-Boyles is averaging 11.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game on 57% shooting.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...-clippers-as-week-of-familiar-faces-continues

 

[Zedster]

That loss stings a bit more than usual. Being up 109-101 with under four minutes left and not being able to close it out is tough to watch, especially against a Clippers team missing Kawhi. Harden doing Harden things in crunch time is frustrating but predictable - the guy knows how to work officials and find those soft fouls when it matters most.

The silver lining continues to be Murray-Boyles. The defensive instincts on this kid are remarkable for a rookie. That sequence where he doubled the ballhandler and still recovered to block the three is the kind of play you usually see from veterans who've been in the league for years. His numbers over this stretch with Poeltl out have been really solid.

Shead's 15 and 13 is encouraging too. Having a backup point guard who can actually run an offense and not just tread water is valuable, especially with Quickley dealing with those back spasms.

The Kawhi no-show was disappointing but not surprising at this point. Adding him to the list of stars who've ducked Toronto this season alongside Jokic, Luka, Embiid, and Brown is getting a little ridiculous. Would've been nice to see him back at Scotiabank one more time.

Five-game road trip starting in LA against the Lakers should be interesting. With the trade deadline approaching and all the rumors swirling, curious to see how the guys handle the noise. Fourth in the East is a good spot to be in, but these close losses add up.

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Will the Toronto Raptors do anything at the trade deadline?

I’m going to be so real here — I hate the NBA trade deadline! It’s weeks of baseless rumours, being on edge, waiting for the shoe to drop… even though it might never drop. It has me on edge every year, and I sit here every February just counting down the seconds until it’s over. It doesn’t help that we are sitting here talking about a team that is super wishy-washy about the trade deadline historically.

In the Masai-Era of Raptors basketball, the trade deadline was used as a levelling-up tool, something to make “right now” moves. Even if the moves at the deadline were more “for the future” moves, the “future” we were discussing was likely the immediate season after. Even the Raptors’ busiest deadline in recent history, in 23-24, when OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam were dealt, it was more to usher in a new era.

Masai was pretty outspoken about the fact that he didn’t like to deal at the deadline unless necessary. He preferred to wait until free agency, when no one was rushing him, and he could see who was available before making any decisions. Yet, with Masai gone and the Raptors in a new era, things might be different.

Don’t expect them to be too different, though. Bobby Webster went to the Masai Ujiri School of How to Operate an NBA team, and his tactics are likely similar to those of his predecessor and mentor. I wouldn’t expect Bobby to do much at the trade deadline, but here is what could happen if he does decide to pull the trigger on some deals.

Trading for a Big Man​

The Raptors clearly have a Jakob Poeltl problem. Even since I wrote that linked piece in December, it’s gotten worse. Poeltl has been out for weeks trying to figure out why his back won’t get better, seeing if time makes it heal. So far, it doesn’t seem like much is working.

It seems like the Raptors’ biggest priority at the deadline may be trading for another 7-footer. We’ve known this. Yet, it’s hard to know if they are going to be willing to pay the price for what is available. Jake Fischer wrote on Jan. 15 that the Raptors want to “make an addition,” but with Davis’s new injury, what’s the point of adding ANOTHER injured big man to the mix?

Sabonis may be an option as well, but he’s only played 13 games so far this season due to (you guessed it) an injury.

It may be a matter of having no deal to make, not that the Raptors decide themselves not to do anything here.

A Change at the PG Position​

There’s also chatter of replacing Immanuel Quickley with another starting point guard at the trade deadline. Quickley has been hot and cold all season long, especially struggling since his primary pick-and-roll buddy, Poeltl, has been out. He’s played more games this season after an injury-riddled year last season, but he’s looked disjointed and isn’t shooting well. His biggest problem may be consistency — when he’s good, he’s GOOD — but those instances are becoming few and far between.

This is why Toronto seemed to be in the mix for Trae Young. Yet, Young seemed to want a guarantee that he was going to receive a contract extension from whichever team he signed with, and Bobby likely wasn’t down. Thankful for that, though. Young doesn’t play good defense and it was a no from me.

Ja Morant is floating around conversations now, as apparently, his time in Memphis is dwindling. Maybe I know too much about these guys, but I’m not into the idea of Morant here. Sure, he has some history with Darko Rajakovic, but he hasn’t really impressed over the past few seasons, between injuries and off-court behaviour violations leading to lengthy suspensions. I heard someone say “the best trait a player can bring is availability” recently, and that’s kinda my vibe here.

SO, do the Raptors do anything at the deadline? My gut says no, but my brain says maybe.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/nba-trade...rs-deals-deadline-davis-morant-poeltl-sabonis

 

[Toronto Raptors]

The Raptors risk wasting season with struggles against zone defences

The gravitational pull of the NBA’s play-in tournament is calling out to the Toronto Raptors. And it may be too late to escape its reach if the Raptors can’t salvage the four games that remain in their west coast road trip.

The Raptors (25-19) are currently one game ahead of the seventh-seeded Orlando Magic and only hold a four-game advantage over the 11th-place Chicago Bulls. Toronto doesn’t have a great history of coming back from its trip out west with a winning record. It’s realistic for this team, especially as they continue to navigate through their injuries, to experience a downward spiral in the Eastern Conference by the end of their business trip.

The challenges remain relentless, with the next hurdle in the gauntlet being the Golden State Warriors.

Tip-off is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. EST on Sportsnet for Canadian viewers.

Here are three storylines to consider ahead of the contest.

Three-point woes​

The Raptors’ inability to knock down shots from beyond-the-arc is hurting them. While it’s always been a concern when trying to construct a roster around Scottie Barnes, the need for shooters has become especially important since the acquisition of Brandon Ingram.

Golden State is averaging 16.2 three-pointers (1st) on 36.5 per cent efficiency (10th) this season. It’s important that Toronto breaks out of its shooting slump to help neutralize the home-run ball.

Teams have traditionally gone to zone against the Raptors over the last few years. But it’s shockingly embarrassing how often soft coverages have been deployed in the last month. Opponents don’t respect Toronto’s perimeter shooting and the stats support their reasoning.

The Raptors rank last in the league in three-point efficiency at 33.6 per cent. Since Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic replaced Nick Nurse, the team has finished in the bottom percentile from the perimeter. They shot 34.8 per cent last season (23rd) and 34.7 per cent in 2023-24 (27th).

After going 6-for-37 (16 per cent) against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 12, the Raptors are 28-for-93 (30.1 per cent) over the last three games.

Expect the Warriors to go into zone anytime the Raptors’ offence looks like it’s gaining confidence.

Warriors eager to come out and play​

Since their dramatic 141-127 overtime loss to the Raptors on Dec. 28, the Warriors are 9-3. They have also won their last four games by an average of 19.5 points.

Jimmy Butler’s season ended when he tore his ACL against the Miami Heat on Jan. 20. Stephen Curry continues to serve as the game-breaking engine of the Warriors’ offence, but Butler (alongside Draymond Green) has alternated with contributing memorable performances. In Butler’s absence, the team’s auxiliary pieces need to step up. Fortunately for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, they’ve been an integral reason for their recent good fortunes.

Brandin Podziemski is averaging 16.6 points on a blistering 67.8 per cent shooting during the Golden State’s three-game win streak. He’s also contributing 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals in this stretch. Podziemski hasn’t scorched the net like this since mid-December, when he finished six straight contests with double-digit scoring.

Moses Moody is also finally realizing the potential the Warriors saw when the organization drafted him with the 14th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Moody is averaging 15.6 points per game over the last three contests. He’s having a career-season in points (10.6), three-point percentage (39.2 per cent), steals (0.9) and blocks (0.6). Moody’s production as a three-and-d type of wing has helped offset Buddy Hield’s inconsistency and the drama of Jonathan Kuminga.

CMB down​

While Jakob Poeltl (back) and RJ Barrett (ankle) are expected to miss the game, it’s Collin Murray-Boyles’ inclusion on the injury report that might be the most significant narrative thread.

Murray-Boyles’ defensive prowess for a rookie is abnormal. On the surface, his six-foot-seven frame and non-elite athleticism don’t look threatening for someone moonlighting as a centre. But for a team without a true big man in its lineup, his intimidating presence and defensive genius are what have held this team together, particularly during the offence’s cold stretches.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...g-season-with-struggles-against-zone-defences

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Quickley drops career-high 40 as Raptors beat Warriors 145-127

Three-point shooting has been a major need for the Toronto Raptors this season, who are shooting the worst percentage in the league. But that was not nearly the case tonight.

The Raptors’s offense erupted in Chase Center Tuesday night, fuelled by a red-hot 21/34 shooting night from beyond the arc and crisp ball movement that resulted in a season-high 42 assists on 51 made field goals. Leading the charge was Immanuel Quickley, who tied his career-high 40 points along with 10 assists on 11/13 shooting. Scottie Barnes also had a great performance, putting up 26 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists on 12/18 shooting.

The Raptors finished with a season-high in points, beating the Golden State Warriors 145-127, and are now 1-1 to start their five-game Western Conference road trip.

The game was a true wire-to-wire win, with the Raptors jumping out to an early 10-0 lead and holding a double-digit advantage nearly the entire game. The impressive effort came despite yet another short-handed effort: Toronto was without two of its starters in RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, and two of its rotation players in Ja’Kobe Walter and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles.

As a result, head coach Darko Rajakovic went with a new starting lineup for the eighth consecutive game, this time with Gradey Dick getting his first start of the season.

The Warriors, meanwhile, had injury woes of their own. While they entered the game on a four-game winning streak, this was their first contest since Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL that has dramatically altered their hopes of making noise in the postseason.

Indeed, the Warriors started the game looking like a team that had just gotten bad news. The Raptors were not simply hitting their shots, but they were also out-running and out-passing the Warriors out of the gate. The Warriors’ defensive rotations were slow in the halfcourt, and they offered little resistance in fastbreak and even semi-transition defense.

Meanwhile, Butler’s absence allowed the Raptors to hone in on Stephen Curry, who generally had one of Jamal Shead or Ochai Agbaji glued to him throughout the game. Curry is averaging 27 points per game this season, but managed just 16 points and three assists against the Raptors. (Butler’s absence also meant that Warriors coach Steve Kerr freed Jonathan Kuminga from purgatory; Kuminga, who hadn’t played since December 18, put up 20 points and five rebounds.)

Quickley’s career night got off to a quick start, going 3/3 on threes halfway through the first quarter.

Jamison Battle played some solid minutes off the bench. Barnes did an excellent job playing off the attention Battle commands off-ball as a shooter. On one play, Barnes drew a defender’s attention by looking at Battle on the perimeter – then fired a no-look pass to Agbaji under the basket for two easy points.

The Raptors finished the first quarter with a 41-28 lead.

That lead was blown open as the second quarter wore on and the Warriors looked even slower, their helpside defense even more absent. Sandro Mamukelashvili hit back-to-back threes, AJ Lawson and Jonathan Mogbo found easy buckets in transition, and Quickley hit his fourth three (on as many attempts) to extend the lead to 59-31. The Raptors were not only getting easy looks by pushing the ball off turnovers and misses, but even off of made baskets.

The Warriors brought the lead down to 20 heading into halftime. But Toronto grabbed the momentum right back, playing some of their strongest basketball of the game to start the third quarter and taking a 30-point lead.

That stretch included another pair of threes for Quickley, who made his first six threes of the game. Quickley was dangerous as a catch-and-shoot threat – a threat which we’ve seen be further unlocked when Quickley plays alongside Jamal Shead, who scored 10 points and eight assists. Quickley also had a nice lefty and-one layup off a dribble hand-off from Barnes – and the team followed that possession by forcing the Warriors into a 24-second shot clock violation.

Meanwhile, the Raptors’ best sequence of the game came on a 2014 Spurs-esque possession in which all five Raptors touched the ball, ending in a Brandon Ingram three in the corner.

This ball movement from the Toronto Raptors is just absurdpic.twitter.com/UJeVKsAYpR

— Hot Hand Theory (@HotHandTheory) January 21, 2026

Ingram provided his usual injection of necessary shot-making, scoring on a mix of catch-and-shoot threes and tougher mid-range looks that helped supplement the offense, albeit during a rare game that had practically no dry spells. He finished with 22 points, four boards and five assists.

But with Curry on the bench, the Warriors finally displayed some energy and fought back, going on a 29-13 run that brought the Raptors’ lead to 104-90. The same defensive breakdowns that had plagued the Warriors were now hitting the Raptors, who allowed easy transition buckets, plus a Kuminga layup to end the quarter after he ran the full length of the court right past the defense.

The Warriors managed to tighten the lead to just nine points about halfway through the fourth quarter. But the Raptors were able to survive the onslaught of Buddy Hield threes thanks to timely shot-making by Barnes in the mid-range, and clutch three-pointers by Ingram and Mamu that put them up by 15.

Mamukaleshvili finished the game with 14 points and 12 rebounds, including a couple of offensive rebounds that helped extend key possessions in the fourth.

Dick, in his first start of the season, shot ⅖ from beyond the arc, which was a promising return to form in a season where he’s shooting just 30% from three.

While Dick’s shooting night was a promising return to form, the team’s offensive performance as a whole would be more aptly described as a remarkable display of shot-making and togetherness. Sure, the 62% three-point shooting is an unsustainable clip. So was their 22/22 night from the free throw line. But the buzzing ball movement, which contorted the defense and led to assists on four in every five buckets? That’s something this team can keep up.

The Raptors and Warriors entered the game with identical 25-19 records. This was the first night of a back-to-back for the Raptors, who are now 26-19, and are set to take on the 12-32 Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...reer-high-40-as-raptors-beat-warriors-145-127

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Toronto Tempo announce inaugural season schedule

The Toronto Tempo will play their first-ever game on May 8, 2026, at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto. The news comes as part of their full season schedule drop, as the entire WNBA announces a 44-game 2026 season. Yet, as exciting as this news is, it still comes with a lot of question marks. The WNBA still has yet to come to terms on a Collective Bargaining Agreement, meaning the 2026 season is yet to be guaranteed.

Due to things like the need to start selling tickets, securing bookings for travel, arenas, and logistics, there was a need to make this happen on the league side. So, as exciting as this is, especially for Tempo fans and Canadian WNBA fans, take it with a grain of salt. There has been little news on the state of WNBA negotiations, and the league and players seem to disagree on basically every public negotiation point so far.

Disclaimer aside, the Toronto Tempo’s opening year has a lot of exciting things in store. Their first game is at home and is one of the first games of the WNBA’s 30th season, on opening night. As previously announced, the WNBA will play two home games in Vancouver, those are scheduled on Aug. 21 (vs the Portland Fire) and 23 (vs the Las Vegas Aces). The Tempo also announced two home games in Montreal last year, which are on July 10 (vs the Dallas Wings) and 12 (vs the New York Liberty).

Those Montreal games have the potential to break single-game WNBA attendance records, as well. The Bell Centre lists its basketball capacity at just over 22,000, and the current WNBA record is 20, 711, set at an Indiana Fever vs Washington Mystics game in 2024.

The Tempo will also play three home games at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the home of the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs. Those games are on June 27 (vs the Phoenix Mercury), July 30 (vs the Minnesota Lynx) and August 18 (vs the Indiana Fever).

The rest of Toronto’s home games will be played at Coca-Cola Coliseum, their primary home venue. While that arena holds just over 8,000 fans, all of the other arenas they will play home games in have capacities of 19,000 and above.

It’s our moment, Canada.

The Toronto Tempo 2026 inaugural season schedule has landed and we can’t wait to have you cheer us on every game, home and away.

Sign up at the link in bio to register your interest for ticket access. pic.twitter.com/u4S26XNhMJ

— Toronto Tempo (@TempoBasketball) January 21, 2026

There will also be a break in the WNBA season from Aug. 31 to Sept. 16, as the FIBA World Cup takes place in Germany. Most of the WNBA’s players will likely be leaving their club teams to go play for their international federations, something that is a big priority for most of these players.

After the FIBA break, the WNBA will come back and play one more week of the regular season before the playoffs start.

“Today’s schedule release marks another milestone in bringing Tempo basketball to life. Our inaugural season will showcase the energy, talent, and competitive spirit that this city deserves,” said Tempo General Manager Monica Wright Rogers in a press release. “We’re excited for fans across Canada to experience the WNBA in a brand-new way and to see our team take the floor in historic matchups throughout the league.”

Now, we wait to see when a resolution comes regarding the CBA negotiations.

The full Toronto Tempo schedule can be found here.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/wnba-news/49193/toronto-tempo-season-schedule-games

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors head to Sacramento for second night of back-to-back

The Toronto Raptors are fresh off one of their best performances of the season, a 145-127 win against the Golden State Warriors – despite being down four rotation players – in which Immanuel Quickley dropped a career-high 40 points and 10 assists.

Now, they’ll be shorthanded and on short rest as they take on the Sacramento Kings, who are 14th in the Western Conference and, like the Raptors, on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Kings, led by a 2018 All-Star team of Zach LaVine, Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan, had shown some signs of life earlier in January despite an injury to Domantas Sabonis, winning four consecutive games – the first three of which came against the Rockets, Lakers and Knicks. But the 12-32 Kings have come back down to earth with consecutive losses.

The game is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET on TSN.

Here are some storylines to follow.

A new start(ing lineup)​

Thanks to a flurry of injuries, and aided by the team’s deep roster, head coach Darko Rajakovic has started a different five-man lineup in eight consecutive games. Last night’s new unit included Gradey Dick, who was making his first start of the season. Unlike the Warriors, Sacramento has a fair bit of size; All-Star center Sabonis is back, though he’s played on a minutes restriction off the bench since returning. 7-foot-1 rookie Maxime Raynaud has started in his place. The Raptors went super small against Golden State, starting Quickley, Jamal Shead and Dick together, alongside Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes. They may opt for a bigger lineup tonight – but with Jakob Poeltl still out, and Collin Murray-Boyles likely out with his thumb injury, it’s slim pickings.

Former Raptor report​

The Sacramento Kings are bad in many respects. But there’s one advanced statistic according to which they are a top team in the NBA: Rate of Any Player That were Openly Raptors (RAPTOR). The main driver of their high RAPTOR rating is DeMar DeRozan, the 36-year-old who is Toronto’s all-time leading scorer and co-built the We the North era with Kyle Lowry. DeRozan’s numbers are down a bit this year, though his efficiency is up: He’s average 19 points, 3.3 rebounds and four assists on 50.8% shooting and a 35.9% clip from three. Meanwhile, former Raptor Precious Achiuwa has been starting for the Kings, and is averaging 7.6 points and 5.5 boards, while Dennis Schröder is averaging 12.7 points and 5.6 assists off the bench. The Raptors’ “Former Kings report” includes Garrett Temple, who played in Sacramento on a 10-day contract in 2010.

Worth a shot?​

Thanks to some paltry shooting efforts, the Raptors have found themselves stymied by zone defenses as of late, leading to somewhat of a roster construction crisis (though things would certainly look a bit different with Walter and Barrett healthy). That crisis seemed like a distant memory last night, when the Raptors shot 21/34 from behind the arc. Will their shooting juice continue on the second night of a back-to-back? Will tired legs prevail? And, importantly, will Kings coach Doug Christie dare the Raptors to find out by running a zone defense?

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...o-sacramento-for-second-night-of-back-to-back

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors willing to part with several starters in trades

A few days ago, we talked about what the Toronto Raptors could do at the deadline. Knowing Bobby Webster, but actually knowing his mentor Masai Ujiri, tells us that it’s a real possibility for the Raptors to not do anything spectacular at the deadline. Instead, they could wait for the summer to make moves. Yet, there is that little possibility that Webster starts his tenure as leader of the Raptors with a bang and makes a big trade before Feb. 5th’s deadline.

As Josh Lewenberg of TSN reports, the Raptors seem willing to part with more than one of their starters. Webster has apparently been on the phone with several other teams, tossing around possibilities, and doing what Lewenberg calls his “due diligence” on checking in on several targets around the NBA. This is definitely a move reflective of Masai’s tactics — staying extremely informed but not necessarily doing anything. It’s why the Raptors usually end in a ton of trade reports this time of year, because the Masai-now-Bobby method usually involves picking up the phone and having a chat about literally every player whose name is floating around. It’s less about wanting to make a move and more just knowing what options are out there in case you decide you might want to make a move. Something Lewenberg details in his reports as well. We all know the deal in this front office by now.

Can you see why I hate the trade deadline now?

Another good point Josh makes above is that sometimes these little check-ins turn into something more — take Brandon Ingram a year ago. I would have been one to tell you there’s no way the Raptors pull the trigger on that one, and they did. Mind you, the price ended up being lower than expected, which was nice. Another thing about Masai and Bobby — they know how to negotiate.

Now, another thing Lewenberg says is that if the Raptors don’t make a move at the deadline, its more because their “hands are tied” than anything. Makes sense, given their maybe most valuable asset is an injured Jakob Poeltl. The new-ish part in Lewenberg’s reporting is that the Raptors seem to be willing to part with any or all of Poeltl, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley. Take this with a grain of salt, though, as the Raptors aren’t ones to leak themselves, and these speculations are more coming from other teams’ sources. As we all know, it’s these players (well, their salaries) that are the most valuable in trades for Toronto, and also prevent the Raptors from making any big signings now or in the summer.

If I had to make an educated guess, I would say Quickley was the most likely to be moved at the deadline, if anyone does get dealt. I would say Poeltl, yet his precarious injury situation doesn’t make me as confident that teams will bite. With Barrett, I’m sure it’s not off the table to include him in the deal, but it would have to be the right deal. If Barrett is traded this season, it’s because it’s the only way the Raptors get their top choice guy, in my opinion. He also still has a year left on his contract, so it’s a big undertaking for any team trading for him.

The Raptors are reportedly willing to part with RJ Barrett, per @JLew1050

“TSN can confirm that Toronto appears willing to part with some combination of Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett, or at least that’s the impression that rival teams have gleaned from… pic.twitter.com/7rrchjY0Ny

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 22, 2026

As I mentioned in last week’s update, most of the players that maybe would have been Toronto’s big targets (Young, Davis, Sabonis) are either gone, too expensive, or hurt. Or multiple of those options. We’ll have to see if anything comes up in the next few weeks as teams head into the final days before the deadline.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/nba-trade...-poeltl-barrett-quickley-davis-sabonis-rumors

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Toronto makes it three straight with win against Trailblazers

The Toronto Raptors continued their West Coast road trip tonight against the Portland Trailblazers. Leaving the Moda Center with the win, the Raptors have now won three in a row and have successfully swept the Blazers in the season series with a final score of 110-98.

The Trailblazers have been playing well so far in the calendar year, going 9-2 prior to this matchup. They weren’t necessarily an easy target, but a myriad of injuries benching Williams III, Avdija, Reath, Murray, Thybullle, and Henderson have had a cumulative effect. The Blazers were held to a season-low 12 points in the first quarter, and struggled offensively all night as a result.

Despite the loss, Canadian Shaedon Sharpe continues to have a career season for the Blazers. The combination of his speed, strength, and shiftiness allowed him to get basically anything he wanted on the offensive end. He finished with 21-7-4. Toumani Camara helped along the way, one of the few Blazers who were able to consistently connect from 3-point territory tonight. Clingan helped protect the boards and chipped in with 13 points and 16 rebounds.

The Raptors took a little while to settle in and had their own difficulties offensively tonight, but were able to overcome tight defence and shooting struggles by dictating the pace of the game. They navigated the Blazers’ size easily, getting out in transition and screening cutters to allow them to get shots inside. Despite missing CMB, Walter, and Poeltl, they held their own.

RJ Barrett returned to the lineup, doing a decent job in his first game back with 10 points. Ingram had a slow start but thrived in the second half to finish with 20-7-3. Quickley had another solid game as well with 20-8-7. Mamu shone in his tenth start of the season, leading the Raptors with 22-6-4. This is his second 20-point-performance in a row for the first time in his career. While not as big of a box score contribution, Gradey and Ochai both had solid 10 point performances and did a lot of the little things defensively.

NONE OF THAT pic.twitter.com/OjZsECOLOn

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 24, 2026

In the first quarter, both teams struggled offensively. Toronto’s ball movement was good, allowing them to get lots of open shots, but the majority of them were left at the rim, starting 6-16. At the same time, they were giving up a lot of second chance opportunities, but Portland wasn’t able to capitalize, shooting 2-20 from the field and committing 4 turnovers early on.

Quickley didn’t let Clingan’s foreboding 7’2” presence on the inside deter him. He used his speed and shiftiness to create space and cashed in on floaters. He scored 9 of the Raptors’ first 12 points. Mamu was able to cash in a couple of long-range shots in the frame as well.

The last two minutes of the quarter were broken up by fouls, with neither team able to gain any momentum and ending with the Raptors up 19-12.

The defence holding Portland to 2-20 from the field to start pic.twitter.com/agkul6UYtq

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 24, 2026

Portland was able to smooth out their offense within a few minutes of the second quarter starting, forcing the Raptors into a timeout and some lineup changes. Scottie wasn’t getting calls and two early fouls found him on the bench. Quickley and Mamu continued to carry the scoring load, looking for someone else to contribute.

Ingram was finally able to break through the tight Blazer defence and find the bottom of the basket, but couldn’t get much else going. Meanwhile Sharpe, Clingan, and Camara came alive, carrying the offense for Portland and bringing them within a single possession of Toronto.

Toronto answered with an 8 point run. Gradey carved his way into the paint to lay the ball up and then cashed in a long range shot on the next possession. A putback by Barrett to close the frame had them up by 7.

Touggggh lay from @gradey_dick pic.twitter.com/p6YSVk6qdc

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 24, 2026

Halftime proved to be beneficial for both teams. The Blazers showed a zone defense and were able to get some two-man action going with Clingan. For Toronto, Ingram started to get going, finding his shots early from all over the floor.

Unlike the first half, the Raptors and Blazers scored easily. Portland tied things up and scoring went back and forth for most of the third quarter. Ingram made shots and found his way to the line while Love and Camara highlighted. Despite holding a brief lead, the Trailblazers couldn’t maintain it.

Ochai and Gradey quietly contributed at both ends in the third quarter as well, topped off by a fun lob pass from Gradey to Ochai for the finish, allowing the Raptors to hold a one-possession lead.

OCHAI UP THERE SOMEWHERE pic.twitter.com/4FNQ1GCW7s

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 24, 2026

Toronto came out with force in the final frame, cleaning up some of the sloppy perimeter defence that had been plaguing them throughout the game and getting the ball moving offensively to get easy shots.

Jrue Holiday was the answer for Portland, making shots from all over the floor to try and keep Portland alive, but each time he made a basket, Toronto was able to keep pushing ahead. An 8-0 run early, followed by a 7-0 around the midway point of the quarter kept them afloat. Scottie’s decision making late in the frame was excellent, finding cutters, the open shooter, or even finding his own shots when he liked his matchup. Defensively he was great as well, with 6 total blocks, including 2 in the final seconds.

Portland fought to the end, but the tandem of Barnes and Ingram down the stretch gave Toronto the win.

Next, Toronto completes their road trip on Sunday against another team led by a Canadian in the Oklahoma City Thunder with MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Tune into TSN at 7pm ET to catch all the action.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...-three-straight-with-win-against-trailblazers

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Late game execution earns the Raptors another win

For the fifth and final game of their road-trip, the Toronto Raptors faced the Oklahoma City Thunder, clinching their fourth-straight victory, to the tune of 103-101. This was the first of their two contests this season, but Oklahoma City hasn’t lost at home to Toronto since 2022, a streak that the Raptors have now finally been able to break.

This matchup was tight from start to finish, with neither team able to build much of a lead. Ultimately the late-game defensive heroics of Scottie Barnes secured the win for the Raptors.

After a phenomenally strong start to the season (24-1) the Thunder have slowed down significantly, going 13-8 in the games that followed. Like many other teams at this stage of the season, they are battling injuries, missing Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, and Isaiah Hartenstein among others from their lineup. Despite being shorthanded, the Thunder put on another performance to be expected of the reigning NBA champions from top to bottom.

Headlined by the dynamic performance of Canadians Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, their defence, ball movement, and shooting helped pave the way for their whole lineup. As a Canadian, it’s fun to watch them play well… except against Toronto… Shai finished with 24-3-6 with a steal and a pair of blocks while Dort had 19-8-2 along with two steals. Kenrich Williams and Aaron Wiggins also had strong performances off the bench.

Across the court, Toronto’s controlled ball movement was crucial for them from start to finish. Only 2 turnovers in the first half that didn’t lead to a single point for the Thunder was a key to this game. It wasn’t for lack of passing though, with many of their assists occurring in transition or tight to the basket through the defence. Their placement and execution were instrumental, highlighting the Raptors’ continued developing chemistry.

SCOTTIE RJ pic.twitter.com/z9E2tIxBSy

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 26, 2026

It was another all-around effort from the Raptors with six players in double figures. Immanuel Quickley had another excellent road performance with a 23-point, 11-rebound double-double while shooting 6-10 from long range. Scottie had another almost triple double with 10-10-8. His biggest contributions were defensive though, as he continues to make a case for defensive player of the year. He added a steal and three blocks to his growing defensive numbers, with a level of intensity in the stretch that sealed the game’s outcome for Toronto. Shooting only 3-8 would be enough to deflate many players, but there was no dip in effort for him and it paid off.

IQ came out strong from the opening minutes of the game. He scored an early 9 points in only 6 minutes of action, along with a pair of rebounds due to his aggressive energy on the defensive boards. His scoring was crucial for the Raps as no one else was able to really get much going.

IQ opens it up with a pic.twitter.com/yLdTKpzRmL

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 26, 2026

Ingram struggled against Chet Holmgren’s length, managing to shoot only 2-7 from the field while looking a little uncomfortable throughout the first. Despite shooting only 39% from the field collectively in the quarter, the Raptors were down only 5 points.

Toronto settled in to start the second, utilizing a combination of high screen and rolls and drop-off passes at the rim to catch up and periodically lead in a back-and-forth with the Thunder. Ingram was able to operate more easily in the absence of Holmgren, cashing in 6 points quickly.

pic.twitter.com/4zY5zngH9z

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 26, 2026

The Thunder were able to get ahead with their superior 3-point shooting led by Lu Dort and Isaiah Joe. Toronto’s ball movement and transition play allowed them to outscore OKC by 9 in the frame to hold a 54-50 lead on the way into the locker room.

The Raptors were able to sustain their lead for much of the third quarter, held onto with solid defence. The help was active and they were able to get extra deflections and touches on the ball that denied Oklahoma City opportunities. Scottie continued to struggle from the field, but even more so with the whistle. Committing his fourth foul sent him on the bench, while OKC lost Jaylin Williams for the remainder of the game after a tough fall while trying to draw a charge.

Shai began to look for his own shot now, with Walter and Shead both struggling to contain him. Toronto worked to find a solution for the zone defence the Thunder showed intermittently but were able to stay within a possession by the close of the quarter.

JAMAL FOR THREE AT THE BUZZER pic.twitter.com/icdOHyqVLh

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 26, 2026

In the final frame it took only a couple minutes for Scottie to earn his fifth foul and return to the bench. In his absence, the bench was able to keep them in the game with Dick, Shead, and Walter all contributing.

Walter continued to evolve in his assignment of Shai, fighting to deny him the ball on every possession. The Raptors worked hard, doubling him at times to try and force what was left of OKC’s bench to make shots. In the final minutes, they relied on IQ to make a pair of big 3-pointers from the same spot in back to back possessions.

As with much of the season, their late-game execution was solid, holding a single-possession lead with half a minute left in the game. A massive block by Scottie earned Toronto the ball back, and after Shead missed a pair of free-throws, he came up big again to tip the rebound out where they retained possession of the ball and IQ could convert the free-throws. They let the last few seconds run out, played disciplined defence to avoid fouling, and walked off the floor with another win.

WHAT A PLAY BY SCOTTIE BARNES

RAPTORS WIN IN OKLAHOMA CITY! pic.twitter.com/RBtuIG1Stc

— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2026

Next, the Raptors will return home to face another tough competitor in the New York Knicks, hoping to keep their win streak alive. They will have an extra day to rest and help with lingering injuries to the lineup. Tune in Wednesday at 7:30pm on Sportsnet.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...-game-execution-earns-the-raptors-another-win

 

[JJ]

OH MAN the Raptors are COOKING right now! Four straight wins including beating the defending champs in OKC?! That's what I'm talking about!

Look, I gotta be honest - as a Bills fan I'm supposed to hate everything Toronto but I can't help but respect what they're doing on this road trip. Quickley dropping 40 against the Warriors and then following it up with consistent performances? Dude is BALLING. And Scottie Barnes with those clutch defensive plays at the end of the Thunder game - that's the kind of stuff that separates good players from GREAT players.

Now about these trade rumors... Webster better not do something stupid here. I get that they're kicking tires on everything - that's smart front office work - but trading RJ Barrett or Quickley when they're playing like THIS seems insane to me. The whole "hands are tied" thing with Poeltl being hurt makes sense though. Hard to sell high on a guy who can't even play right now.

The Tempo news is pretty cool too I guess. Canadian basketball expansion is good for the sport even if I think the WNBA needs to get their CBA sorted out before anyone gets too excited about schedules and ticket sales. Breaking attendance records at the Bell Centre would be pretty sick though.

Knicks coming up next - that's gonna be a BATTLE. New York ain't gonna lay down like some of these other teams. Let's see if this win streak has any legs on it!

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Can Scottie Barnes win Defensive Player of the Year?

Darko Rajakovic wears many hats.

As the Head Coach, he takes his leadership seriously, stands up for his players, and is always open and forthcoming. As an Offensive Coordinator, his system which encourages multiple passes and cuts has resulted the Raptors finishing in the top 7 in assists in each of his first two seasons (and currently 2nd this year). As a Defensive Coordinator, Darko’s schemes and rotations have boosted the Raptors from the 17th-ranked defense last season to 4th, as of this writing.

after holding the thunder to 7 points over the final 5 minutes of last night's game, the raptors now own the best crunch-time defensive rating in the league at 96.4. they're doing this without a single player taller than 6'9. pretty incredible

— Joe Wolfond (@joey_doubleyou) January 26, 2026

One hat I did not think Darko would wear was that of a psychic. Back in October 2023, before his first game as Head Coach, Rajakovic proclaimed, “I think one day he’s going to be Defensive Player of the Year. That’s something he wants to be, that he wants to develop into, and I’m going to do everything in my power to help him on that path.” (You can disregard the heaps of praise he bestows on Dennis Schroder. That definitely does not fall into the ‘psychic’ category, but the ‘head coach’ category of Darko’s hats)

Rajaković backed Scottie Barnes as a future Defensive Player of the Year while also reminding reporters not to forget about Dennis Schröder’s defensive skillset: pic.twitter.com/rRNrmcBVAx

— Adam Laskaris (@adam_la2karis) October 24, 2023

Barnes has been a revelation this year. Not the kind of revelation where a player comes out of nowhere to shock everyone, but a revelation to the rest of the NBA. Scottie has been a defensive menace throughout his five seasons in the league. However, playing for lottery teams in each of the last two seasons, preceded by two seasons under Nick Nurse where he wasn’t fully unleashed has kept Barnes’ defensive reputation at bay. Locally, Raptors fans are well aware of what Scottie brings to the table defensively, night in and night out.

This season has been an endless stream of defensive highlights. From blocking LeBron James in the final minute of a tie game, to blocking Collin Sexton to secure a victory over Charlotte, to blocking a potential game-tying mid-range attempt by Chet Holmgren, Barnes’ defense has become a regular fixture in Toronto’s game recaps. Not only is he saving the Raptors, but also looking out for people’s health! What a saint!

Scottie Barnes is a man of the people.

When the Blazers score 100, fans get free McDonald's. So not only did Scottie Barnes stop Yang and Love from getting the Blazers their 100th point, he also stopped 17,438 at the Moda Center from developing heart disease. GG Scottie. pic.twitter.com/qjKlftH9tb

— Pensare Basketball (@PensareBBall) January 24, 2026

The stats match what the eyes see. Scottie Barnes’ name is all over the defensive stats pages. Barnes is (big inhale):

• #1 in total stocks
• #1 in blocks in the 4th quarter
• #1 in blocks in the clutch (under 5 minutes, margin within 5 points)
• #3 in defensive win shares
• the only player in the NBA with at least 60 steals AND 60 blocks

The individual numbers only paint part of the picture of Barnes’ impact. Check the last sentence of the first paragraph again. Your eyes do not deceive you. The Toronto Raptors have the 4th-best defense in the league! The team’s other above-average defenders have either been injured (Jakob Poeltl), inconsistent (Ja’Kobe Walter), or have only started to play more minutes (Collin Murray-Boyles). Jamal Shead has been solid, but nowhere near the impact of Barnes.

Scottie’s DPOY case only becomes stronger when considering Poeltl’s been out since mid-December. The Raptors have played 18 games without a true Center…..and its defensive rating has increased!

The current buzz around Barnes is nice to see, but Raptors fans know it will take a lot more than stats and highlights to win over the voters. Let’s take a look at the 3 players with better DPOY odds — Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama, and Rudy Gobert.

I think this is the highest Scottie has been on the DPOY odds ladder.

Chet getting too much credit for OKC’s defense? Will Wemby qualify for the 65 game threshold? Rudy is Rudy.

At the very least, first-team all defense should be a lock for Scottie B. pic.twitter.com/UDhjgc5Ep4

— Armen Zargarian (@armenzarg) January 26, 2026

Chet Holmgren: Teamwork makes Chet’s dream work

The case for Chet is clear as day: he’s the anchor behind the league’s best defense. Holmgren ranks #1 in defensive win shares, #2 in defensive rating, and #3 in blocks per game. The individual numbers, combined with the potentially record-breaking defensive numbers — the gap between OKC’s 105.4 defensive rating and 2nd-place San Antonio’s 108.6 defensive rating would be the largest margin in NBA history — justifies Holmgren’s place at the top of the betting odds.

However, take a closer look at the rankings and their may be a kink in his armor. Just behind Chet in the defensive win shares standings is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2nd), Cason Wallace (4th), and Ajay Mitchell (8th). In the defensive rating list, Holmgren is followed by Wallace (3rd), Mitchell (7th), SGA (10th), and Lu Dort (13th). Is it a stretch to think that Wallace, who ranks 1st in total steals and 3rd in steals per game, might steal some votes from Chet? Is the Thunder’s defense more of a collective effort rather than an individual? If Chet misses a game, there are still 3-4 other premium defenders ready to pick up the slack! (That group doesn’t even include Alex Caruso, 2-time All-Defense, or Jalen Williams, who was on last season’s All-Defense team)

Also, if the voting came down to Scottie vs. Chet, Barnes might have a leg up.

SCOTTIE’S BLOCK FROM EVERY ANGLE pic.twitter.com/moYMrb9sjG

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 26, 2026

Victor Wembanyama: Out of this world and out of the running?

The case for and against Wemby is set for the next decade (assuming the league keeps the ridiculous 65-game rule): if Victor is healthy enough to play the minimum number of required games, he should be the favourite to win DPOY. Every. Single. Year.

As it stands right now, Wemby has missed 14 games already this season. If he misses 4 games or more the rest of the way, he will be ineligible for the award.

Rudy Gobert: Sure but why?

Outside of citizens from Minnesota and France, who can tell me why Gobert is in the ‘favourites’ tier with Holmgren and Wembanyama?

Minnesota’s 10th-ranked defense is lower than Toronto. Gobert ranks lower than Barnes in defensive rating, defensive win shares, and defensive box plus/minus. Rudy doesn’t have the same defensive demands since he plays alongside 2 wings, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels (Did I double-check I had the right McDaniels? You’ll never know.), who are better defenders than any Raptor other than Barnes. So, Gobert is more deserving than Barnes because he averages 2.9 more rebounds and 0.2 more blocks? Is this a legacy thing? Make it make sense, oddsmakers!

Is Barnes ready to buck the trend?

The obvious theme between Holmgren, Wembanyama, and Gobert is that they’re all paint-devouring, rim-protecting Centers. From Bill Russell to Hakeem Olajuwon to David Robinson to Shaquille O’Neal, the Defensive Player of the Year award has defaulted to big men for as long as the honour has existed. But in the current NBA, when switching and rotating and scrambling are the name of the defensive game, there’s nothing more valuable than a player who can defend all 5 positions a perfectly as Scottie Barnes.

He already has a better case than Gobert. He outperformed Holmgren — both statistically and visually — in a matchup that will stick in voters’ minds. He is 4 more missed games from not having to worry about an alien. Scottie Barnes has the statistical profile, the eye-popping highlights, and is gaining traction as this year’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Darko the Psychic has a good ring to it, don’t you think?

just adding to clutch tape pic.twitter.com/ChH8cXwn30

— Jamar Hinds (@jamarbh) January 26, 2026

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-a...-barnes-case-for-defensive-player-of-the-year

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors’ west coast success could change trade plans

The 29-19 Toronto Raptors are currently the 3rd-best team in a wide-open Eastern Conference, but things aren’t the same over the in the West. It’s pretty obvious that the Western Conference poses the biggest threat to take home this season’s NBA Championship, but who makes it from the Eastern Conference is up in the air. After a plethora of injuries have left the East in a wonky position, the Raptors have capitalized. Yet, that wasn’t the performance expected when Toronto went on its yearly winter West Coast road trip.

Despite the tough competition, the Raptors went 4-1 on their five-game road trip, losing only to the LA Lakers, and then went on a four-game winning streak, defeating the Warriors, Kings, Trail Blazers, and defending champion Thunder. It was a statement performance, done while the Raptors have been struggling with injury, and more proof that this team has something going for them.

They are on the precipice of winning more games before the All-Star Break than they did all season last year (they need one more win), and are six games behind the top spot in the East. The Knicks, who are coming to town on Wednesday, are on their heels.

In terms of individual performances, Scottie Barnes is having an all-time career season. He is widely believed to be a top contender for a reserve All-Star spot, which should be announced soon. He is also looking like a shoo-in for First Team All-Defence, and has a believable campaign for Defensive Player of the Year. Brandon Ingram could very well join him at the All-Star game in Los Angeles, if not as a reserve than as an injury replacement. Immanuel Quickley shut the haters up in his West Coast trip performance, averaging 25.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting better than 60% from both the field and three-point range in that stretch, per the NBA.

RAPTORS ROLLING: The Toronto Raptors defeated the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 103-101 last night, completing a 4-1 road trip against Western Conference teams and improving to 16-9 on the road this season. During Toronto’s four-game winning streak, guard Immanuel Quickley is… pic.twitter.com/A2mf7Zr8Vf

— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2026

It’s an interesting time to be putting up these numbers as a team. The Feb. 5 trade deadline is just over a week away now, and the Raptors have been connected to several trade rumours. It’s always good to take these Raptors rumours with several grains of salt, though. The franchise is notorious for not leaking information out, and these whispers are likely coming from other teams that are engaging in talks with Toronto. You never really know what the Raptors are thinking until they actually do something.

Yet, there are several things the Raptors could do before next Thursday, and this road trip may have shaken those plans up a bit. Quickley, likely feeling the heat, definitely proved something during these past few games — whether that his trade value is high or that he is an asset to this current team. As someone who has been heavily involved in these talks, it will be interesting to see if this changes anything regarding his future.

The other big question mark is Poeltl. He left the Raptors’ road trip early to return to Toronto and receive some more treatment on his nagging back issues. Not only has this left the Raptors without a true centre (something that didn’t seem to hinder them too much during their road trip), but it’s also made the idea of trading him harder. Not only does he have a massive contract to move (he is signed until 2030), but this mysterious and ongoing back injury would make anyone wary of committing to that kind of deal.

The question then leads to, do the Raptors move other players then, in order to get a backup big to replace Poeltl? Do you move on from hometown hero RJ Barrett, whose trade value has definitely risen in his time with the team, to get a decent (and taller) player back? Do you move on from Quickley and task someone with Barnes with ball handling duties in order to build a bigger lineup (vision 6’9 reboot)? Or, do you trust in the incredible chemistry this team has built, ride out the rest of the season without a 7-footer (potentially), and regroup in the summer?

Bobby Webster has about a week and a few more games to watch before he really needs to make a decision on this, but this last week could have the potential to change the course of the Raptors’ season.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/nba-trade...o-trade-deadline-games-poeltl-quickley-barnes

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Can the Raptors snap their 10-game losing streak against the Knicks?

Things change quickly in the NBA.

Just over a week ago, the Toronto Raptors started their five-game road trip by conceding 25 points and 13 rebounds to DeAndre Ayton in a 110-93 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers. It was Toronto’s fourth loss in six games and considering the franchise’s history with west coast trips, concerns about a potential downward spiral were easy to justify.

But somewhere along the journey – or at least during this leg of the race – something clicked for the Raptors. They’re now winners of their last four games, including a resounding signature victory over the reigning champions.

Despite the Raptors’ recent success, it’s important to note that their final two games in January may be a more accurate (and realistic) litmus test for what could await them in April.

It begins with a matchup against the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Sportsnet.

Here are three additional storylines to watch for.

A quick turn of events​

Immanuel Quickley’s value to the Raptors is worth the tricky discussion it often evolves into. His $32.5 million annual salary places him in the top 50 for highest-paid players in 2026. Quickley’s pay ranks him near game-changing guards like Jalen Brunson ($34.9 million), Kyrie Irving ($36.5 million) and Tyrese Maxey ($37.9 million).

Unfortunately for Quickley, his inconsistent play, especially in a league that demands a cheat-code level of quality from the lead guard on a contender, drew criticism online.

But the 26-year-old has recently found his rhythm again and it couldn’t have come at a better time with his former team coming into town. Quickley missed the NBA Cup matchup against the Knicks back in December and the Raptors sorely missed his shooting ability. Toronto finished 11-for-38 (28.9 per cent) in that matchup.

During the Raptors’ four-game win streak, Quickley is averaging 25.3 points, 6.8 assists and 2.0 steals. He’s also shooting 61.1 per cent from the field and a blistering 61.5 per cent from three.

Respect Scottie Barnes​

The Raptors have a top-five defence without a centre, prototypical three-and-d wing, or a perimeter guard. That’s why Scottie Barnes needs to be more seriously considered as the Defensive Player of the Year. Forget the fact that he leads the league in what Yahoo fantasy basketball players covet as stocks (steals and blocks), or that he blocked the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren’s “unblockable” pull-up jumper with the game on the line.

Barnes’ defensive acumen is best appreciated on film. Opposing offences perform nightly mental gymnastics to avoid Barnes, while the Raptors do everything they can to keep him in the play.

With Jakob Poeltl out (back) and Collin Murray-Boyles listed as questionable (thumb), expect Barnes to take on his usual heavy workload as Toronto’s defensive mastermind. As long as he can stay out of foul trouble – a tough ask when defending Karl Anthony-Towns in the post or walling off Brunson’s dribble penetration – the Raptors have a chance to get their first win over the Knicks in quite some time.

A big-apple sized kryptonite​

When NBA fans look back on the 2025-26 season, it won’t be a surprise for some to conclude that the Knicks coasted through the regular-season due to a combination of boredom and self-preservation.

They look like the classic example of a team that understands that the most important possessions happen during the playoffs. But even as the Knicks sleepwalk through the marathon, they are still 28-18 and good enough to be the fourth seed in the wide-open Eastern Conference.

After dropping nine of 11 games, the Knicks are currently on a three-game winning streak. Like most teams, the Knicks are just better when they’re healthier. During their slump, New York missed key depth pieces like Josh Hart and Landry Shamet. Foundational pieces like Anthony-Towns and Brunson also missed games.

It also helps that the Knicks love seeing the Raptors on their schedule. New York has won their last ten games against Toronto.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...heir-10-game-losing-streak-against-the-knicks