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[Toronto Raptors]

What an NBA Cup would mean for the Toronto Raptors

Coming off three losses in a row from the Raptors, victory is not exactly at the forefront of the minds of the Toronto faithful. The NBA Cup knockout game against New York could look very different, especially if RJ Barrett makes a comeback. What if the boys in red take it all the way and win the Cup? Let’s take a look at what victory in the In-Season Tournament could mean for this Raptors team.

Change from past champions?​

For the two previous winners, the Lakers and the Bucks, the NBA Cup had not made a significant impact on conversations surrounding either team. Granted, it didn’t help that both franchises were taken out in the first round of the playoffs in their winning years, but the relevance of the NBA Cup must be understood in the context of its past wins not generating more than momentary hype.

While taking home the NBA Cup gets your team’s name in the news, the lack of any added advantage for the regular season or the postseason has been detrimental to making players and fans alike really care about the winners of the Cup. However, despite the playoff woes of both teams, the Lakers and Bucks were both laden with superstars when they won, something that the Toronto Raptors are decidedly not. Rather than a veteran roster, the Raptors are young and scrappy this season, with a half-decade since winning a round in the playoffs. This means that a small victory means much more relatively, and could serve as a rallying point for a young team chasing a first taste of postseason success.

All about the money​

With youth comes (relatively) small salaries, and the financial incentive of the Cup could mean a lot for some players newer to the league, and on smaller contracts. While the Raptors’ starters are all on eight-figure deals, the bulk of the bench players are making between 5 million and 2 million. With the NBA Cup rewarding its winners with upwards of half a million dollars, and runners-up with more than $200,000, the cushion of cash right before the holidays is a meaningful incentive for players to leave everything out there on the court. Someone like Jamison Battle, on the salary of just under two million dollars, would receive a roughly 25% Christmas bonus, no chump change for a player on a smaller deal.

Indeed, before winning the In-Season Tournament, LeBron James dedicated his play to the younger Lakers, knowing what a difference that kind of money makes for someone not on a massive contract. With the team chemistry as good as it is this year, Scottie and Brandon Ingram giving it their all for their teammates not getting paid as much is a narrative I can see arising as the Raptors make it closer and closer to a taste of real victory.

The future of the NBA Cup, and the role the Raptors play​

The NBA is a living, changing organism that does things like introduce a tournament for money after decades of no such thing existing. I believe that the NBA Cup, in its infancy, little more than a chance for some fast cash, could become a cornerstone of the NBA season if given some postseason or draft lottery weight. The potential for the Cup is limitless, and if the Raptors were to be one of its early winners, the bonus to the franchise’s legacy could mean a lot for the next generation of Toronto basketball fans.

With the Raptors’ top four in the East, and the first post-rebuild postseason appearance looking more and more likely, winning an NBA Cup could be a great highlight of the 2025-26 season for the Raptors: a benchmark from which to look back upon as an early moment of this roster’s growing legacy.

Tune into the Toronto Raptors’ first NBA Cup QF appearance Tuesday night at 8:30pm ET

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/general/4...barnes-brandon-ingram-lebron-james-lakers-win

 

[Toronto Raptors]

NBA Cup Matchup Should Reveal Everything About the Toronto Raptors

Something about the Toronto Raptors is broken. That much is clear ahead of their NBA Cup quarterfinal debut against the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on Sportsnet.

After winning 13 of 14 games, including a stretch of nine straight, the Raptors are currently in the middle of a maddening downward spiral. The schedulers haven’t been the nicest this holiday season, with the calendar steering the Raptors to play seven games in 11 days, but that doesn’t excuse the lapses on defence nor the tendency to play down to opponents.

But what’s splintered can be mended, and nothing could better cure the Raptors’ woes than a win against the Knicks in a pseudo-playoff environment.

Other than an opportunity to wipe the disappointment of the last two weeks with four clean quarters, here are three additional storylines to look out for in the historic matchup.

Cue the “White rabbit pointing at clock” meme​

This feels like an oversimplified type of assessment, but considering the scale of the matchup against the Knicks, the surrounding cast around Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram must show up – especially with RJ Barrett expected to miss additional time. Barnes has been electric this season and has secured his position as the team’s best player. And despite Ingram grappling with a cold slump that rivals Toronto’s most bitter winters, his presence still generates unreal levels of gravity.

With Jakob Poeltl clearly battling some kind of injury, Sandro Mamukelashvili needs to continue playing within himself. Immanuel Quickley must fight on defence as teams continue to hunt him in the half-court.

But the biggest spotlight remains on the trio of Gradey Dick, Ja’Kobe Walter, and Ochai Agbaji. The latter had one of his best games of the season against the Boston Celtics but the Raptors are desperately searching for consistency to anchor them back to their previous winning ways. Dick and Walter’s poor play finally forced Raptors Head Coach Darko Rajakovic to deploy the Raptors 905 players A.J. Lawson and Alijah Martin.

The fun part about this specific matchup with the Knicks is that it’ll become a valuable data point in the evaluation process. Is the team one or two trades away from making a deep-ish run in the Eastern Conference? Or are the Raptors built on a flawed structure, where the removal of one Jenga-type piece will cause it to topple?

Deep Waters​

In their last outing with the Knicks – a 116-94 loss at Madison Square Garden – the Raptors conceded 45 three-point attempts. After allowing the Celtics to jack up 47 shots on Dec. 7, the Raptors now give up the ninth-most deep-ball attempts per game at 37.6. Before this current stretch of dropping five of their last seven matchups, the Raptors had managed to minimize their opponents’ efficiency from beyond the arc despite the barrage of attempts. But through a combination of their luck running out – teams hitting more open shots – and an unnecessary amount of help rotation, it seems the floodgates have opened.

The writing might already be on the wall and there’s potential disaster waiting for the Raptors when it comes to guarding the Knicks’ high-powered offence. New York ranks sixth in three-point attempts (41) and fifth in percentage (37.5).

OG Anunoby missed the last game against the Raptors in New York but he’s expected to be available against his former team in Toronto. He shot 5-of-7 from three in their win against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 7.

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 22 points and eight rebounds against the Raptors but could miss this game with left calf tightness. With all of the Achilles injuries occurring throughout sports, the Knicks could play it safe by holding Anthony Towns out for a second straight game.

Miles McBride is out with an ankle sprain. McBride knocked down four triples on his way to finishing with 14 points against the Raptors.

It starts with Shead​

Jamal Shead is currently listed as doubtful with a quad contusion, but should the scrappy guard suit up, he’ll play an instrumental role in a potential Raptors victory. Shead is 3-for-19 from three dating back to the 118-111 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 29. Despite his recent struggles, something has fundamentally shifted, either schematically or from a mindset perspective, because Shead is averaging 11 shots per game in the last two contests.

The issue with Shead’s aggressiveness isn’t necessarily that he’s missing the open shots that opposing defences are daring him to shoot. It’s the shots he’s taking halfway through the shot clock or from an unrealistic distance behind the three-point line. Shead needs to get back to farming assists, knocking down the occasional jumper and using his effective floater.

There’s also a growing concern about the fact that the team’s best lineup has defensive issues. The double point guard combination, which also features Quickley, manifests advantages on offence, but creates as many drawbacks on defence. Raptors fans have seen it in old-school duos like T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon. Or Calderon and Kyle Lowry. The duo of Lowry and Fred Van Vleet were able to offset it with enough defensive grit and a super-powered offence.

Shead’s responsibility will be serving as the connective tissue between the times Barnes and Ingram are on the court together. He’s trusted to defend the extremely slim margins for the Raptors, and he can do so by winning key battles throughout the game.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-g...d-reveal-everything-about-the-toronto-raptors

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Davis to Toronto? What does is mean to trade for the big man?

Things were supposed to be different for Anthony Davis. The number one pick out of Kentucky made his way out of the muck and mire of New Orleans to the glitz and glamour of the Los Angeles Lakers, won a championship alongside LeBron James, and seemed fixed for his legacy to be cemented on the West Coast. Now, stuck in the purgatory of the injury-riddled Dallas Mavericks, it seems that the Mavs’ front office is mulling over whether to let Davis go to exchange for more pieces to support rookie Cooper Flagg. With Shams Charania reporting that the Raptors are amongst the potential suitors for AD, let’s take a look at what a potential trade package for the Maverick would look like.

New Inside Pass:

Giannis and the Bucks
Anthony Davis suitors
Mavericks, Warriors, Clippers latest

and much more on ESPN: https://t.co/HXLK4TxpZE

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 9, 2025

5 for 5​

As an asset, AD brings with him not only his otherworldly basketball capabilities, but a great deal of baggage in terms of his injury history and availability. Davis’ health struggles have been widely publicized, and he has already missed a number of games this season, after playing only 51 games in the 2024-25 season. As such, the ten time all-star’s value is a contentious topic that the Raptors would likely be able to leverage for a good deal.

A trade package centred around Jakob Poeltl, RJ Barrett, and picks, is the most likely offer that Toronto puts out for AD. In exchange for an injured, aging star, Dallas would receive a serviceable centre in Poeltl to shore up their roster. With centres Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II both out, having more backcourt depth in a slightly younger package would benefit the Mavericks.

With Kyrie Irving out and Davis having dialled back his offensive output, getting a temporary scoring punch would be of great benefit to the Mavs as well, which is why the production of RJ Barrett would hold some significant weight in trade talks. Not one player for the Mavericks has cracked 20 points per game this season, and exchanging some of Davis’ defence for Barrett’s offence would be worthy of consideration for both parties involved. At 25, Barrett is young enough to fit better with the developmental timeline of Cooper Flagg, but has enough experience that he could remain a valuable mentor for the rookie.

Davis’ reputation has enough weight that despite his risks and regression of late, the Mavericks would likely be able to demand some draft capital on top of players, likely in the form of two first round picks from the Raps. Considering that Toronto looks like a contender now, those picks might be a small price to pay in exchange for a veteran centre who could prove to be the true upgrade at the five that pushes Toronto over the hump. Shams has noted that Davis’ other Texas teammates might be on the trading block as well, so Davis might be paired with Klay Thompson in a package to make the Mavericks younger, more befitting of a place for Flagg to play his first NBA seasons.

The uncertainty that comes with Davis is a risk that seems even more pronounced now, and giving up one of our most reliable and important offensive pieces seems risky when we don’t know what our current roster looks like in the playoffs. That said, adding a veteran presence with real two-way capabilities could be the very thing the Raptors needs to take the next step for contention. My take? Too early to make this kind of trade: let this season play itself out. Even if Davis returns to his all-star form, the risk is too high, especially considering how well our current roster is playing. One misstep could send the franchise back into a pseudo-rebuild, the very state that the Mavericks find themselves in now.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-rumors/48838/anthony-davis-toronto-raptors-trade-shams

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Toronto Raptors’ woes continue as they lose NBA Cup QF to Knicks — but don’t panic yet

It’s been the closest thing we’ve had to playoff basketball in Toronto for a little while, as the Toronto Raptors played in their very first NBA Cup knockout game Tuesday night against the Knicks. Winner moves on to play the Orlando Magic in Las Vegas next weekend, losers head to Miami for a regular schmegular game next week. This game also counts as a regular-season game against the Raptors ’ record.

The Raptors came into this one as underdogs. As much as they killed the NBA Cup group stage, winning every game and being the first team to clinch a spot in this round, it’s been weeks since those games. Now, RJ Barrett is out with a knee injury (that seems to be healing well, but he’s still not back on the court), and Immanuel Quickley was out with an illness.

The energy going in was interesting to say the least. It’s hard, being down two very key players in a game with high stakes. Plus, after being questionable, Karl Anthony Towns turned out to be available for the game, another tough reality for the Raptors. You’d hope they’d pull something together of course, but it seemed very David vs Goliath from the start.

Brandon Ingram took on the burden of those absences and came out of the gate to have a massive first quarter. He scored 17 points in the first frame alone, making 6 of his 7 field goal attempts and bringing the Raptors to a 39-35 lead. Talk about respecting the Cup. It didn’t end up being enough to hold off Jalen Brunson though, who scored 20 of his own points in the first quarter, shooting 7-9 from the field and 4-6 from three-point range.

Anyway, things went south from there. The Knicks spent the second quarter icing out the Raptors on the offensive end, and Karl Anthony Towns went to work on both ends.

The offense has dried up for the Raptors in a big way. They have 11 points in the second quarter.

Knicks lead now up to 15.

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) December 10, 2025

At halftime, the Knicks led 69-52 over the Raptors.

As the season goes on, the Raptors’ woes are becoming more and more evident. Maybe one of the biggest is the need for another big man. It’s funny how it doesn’t seem like too long ago that the team didn’t have a true centre at all, and that’s why Poeltl was brought in. Yet, it’s becoming clearer with every game that Poeltl’s back is bothering him, and even with him playing on the court, the Raptors don’t have a clear backup big.

Of course, there is Mamukelashvili and Collin Murray-Boyles, but both play that big-4, small-5 stretch big kinda position, which is good, but doesn’t replace what Poeltl brings to the team when he is at his best. Poeltl’s physicality, length, and rim protection are helped along with his size, and he has a few inches on both of his back-ups.

That’s when Poeltl is healthy, too. Which he clearly isn’t at the moment. His problem is described as back tightness, and it seems like something that is either taking a long time to heal or is something he just can’t shake at all. Regardless, you can see he is having a hard time moving out there, which is hard when you’re trying to match up with the size, speed, and skill of someone like KAT.

As trade deadline season begins to open up on Dec 15 — that’s the date a lot of the trade holds on certain contracts are lifted — the Raptors’ need for a big man seems to be the theme of their trade talks. They have already been named in some rumours associated with Anthony Davis, who seems to want out of Dallas, but it’ll be interesting to see what routes the team pursues.

So far this NBA season, the Toronto Raptors have been living in two extremes: The extreme GOOD of the winning streak and that stretch, and the extreme BAD of the past week and a half. Neither extreme truly represents what this team really is. They aren’t a top-seed in the East, sure, but they also aren’t a lottery team. At least, they shouldn’t be. They have enough talent not to be.

Three things need to happen for the Toronto Raptors right now. The first is that they need to take some days off, which thankfully are coming now. They’ll have a good stretch now to reset before having to return to action, at least a few days off in a row. Which is more than they have had for weeks. The next thing they need to do is get this team back to a level of health that is sustainable — get RJ Barrett and Quickley back into the lineup, and assess how bad Poeltl’s back is. What is the baseline of this team? We don’t know that right now.

That’s the third factor — figure out the authentic ceiling of this team, and address the weaknesses. Shop around for a big at the deadline. The reality is, this isn’t a team that needs to tank; they need to adjust. They need to figure out their true identity. Which is hard to do when you’re injured and playing such a condensed schedule.

When you think about it, their successes this season have already been a huge improvement from last year. This team was barely a .500-level team a year ago, and even making the NBA Cup knockout round is an improvement. Anything above being the 12-seed is an improvement. That’s not what people want to hear, but it’s true.

Things never turned around for the Toronto Raptors in their debut NBA Cup knockout game. The Knicks ended up dominating the game after the first quarter, Brunson finishing with 35 points on the night. The final score was 117-101. Brandon Ingram had his own 31 points, a silver lining for the Raptors, shooting 11-18 from the field.

The Raptors now have 5 nights off before they play their make-up game against Miami, in Miami, on Monday. The team says they will not practice for two days now before getting back into the gym, for rest. They also only play 2 games in the next 10 days, a contrast to their condensed schedule over the past two weeks where they played 7 games in 11 days.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-s...ptors-new-york-knicks-nba-cup-tournament-game

 

[Toronto Raptors]

Raptors look to get back on track against Heat

It was just a couple weeks ago that the Toronto Raptors took a 17-point lead against the Charlotte Hornets, a 10-game winning streak on the line.

It has been a long two weeks.

The team is now on a losing streak. A loss against the Miami Heat would bring the streak to five games. Their halfcourt offense has gone from one of the league’s best to the worst, since a knee sprain knocked RJ Barrett out of the lineup. Jakob Poeltl has been plagued by back troubles which have hampered his performance.

The Raptors are still showing flashes of the fun, selfless and intense defensive team that they’d been over the first month of the season, when they were second in the East. They looked pretty electric during the first frame of the NBA Cup quarter-final game against the New York Knicks. But injuries and fatigue from a jam-packed schedule have been too much to overcome.

Tonight, fresh off a few days’ rest, the Raptors travel to Miami to face the Heat, whose 14-11 record is nearly identical to the Raptors’ 15-11 mark. Here are the details for tonight’s game:

Where to watch

TSN, 7:30 pm ET

Probable starters

Toronto – Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl

Miami – Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo

Injuries

Toronto – RJ Barrett (knee – OUT), Jamison Battle (knee – OUT)

Miami – Pelle Larson (ankle – OUT), Terry Rozier (not injury related – OUT), Kasparas Jakučionis (ankle – probable)

Rest up! The Heat are fast.​

The Raptors played a stretch of five games across eight days, and it showed. Guys looked tired and, while there were still good bursts of play, the team has endured long stretches of lethargic offense, lacklustre defensive rebounding and even a number of missed layups during this recent period. The team has now had five days to rest, and their fresh legs will hopefully give them a renewed competitiveness even without the offensive creation of RJ Barrett. The rest couldn’t have come at a better time: Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has revamped the team to become an uber-fast-paced machine that currently leads the league in pace. The Raptors have stunned teams at times with their pace this season, pushing the ball even off opponents’ made baskets. But no team has pushed the pace this year more than the Heat.

5-game losing streak is inevitable​

Both the Raptors and Heat are coming into this game on four-game losing streaks. One of these teams is leaving the Kaseya Center with a monkey off their back. The other team will have some soul-searching to do. The Heat have the advantage of missing zero core players – Tyler Herro is back in the lineup after missing a few weeks – while the Raptors are without Barrett.

Former Raptors include…​

Norman Powell, the beloved Raptor and NBA Champion who, at least in my eyes, was traded far too soon. His Players’ Tribune article continues to have both a breaking and warming effect on my heart. Powell’s production has exploded in the last couple years, landing him on lists of potential first-time All-Stars. He’s averaging a team-leading 24.6 points per game on 50-43-86 shooting splits. The Clippers traded him for Bradley Beal and John Collins.

Davion Mitchell, the gritty defensive point guard who lost his job with the Raptors to Jamal Shead and was traded last season, but is thriving right now, averaging 9.8 points and, most strikingly, 7.8 assists per game.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-game-previews/48858/raptors-look-to-get-back-on-track-against-heat

 

[Toronto Raptors]

The Rap-Up: Recalibrating for the second trimester

Welcome to the second trimester of the NBA season!

Say what you will about the NBA Cup, but it affords players and teams some much-needed rest. (If you think it’s too early for rest, take another look at the growing list of injuries league-wide!) While the first trimester feels like a race — frontrunners racing to establish supremacy; also-rans racing to exceed expectations; lottery teams racing towards the bottom of the standings — the second trimester is about jostling for positions and resetting expectations.

The Toronto Raptors fall into the second category of teams that surprised. Granted, they’ve fallen down to earth in December, but the team has shown enough to prove that there is a formula for success. Two seasons of losing and rebuilding have reaped some beautiful fruit (when everyone’s healthy).

With the team inching back towards full health, it will be interesting to see how Toronto fares after the NBA Cup break in reestablishing their place in the Eastern Conference pecking order.

December 15 @ Miami Heat

Speaking of overachievers, the Miami Heat have also turned heads to start the season. Miami has held opponents to 51.9% eFG, which ranks 2nd in the NBA (essentially 1st since OKC are from a different planet). The Heat’s defense ranks 1st in opponents’ FG % from long-mid-range and non-corner threes.

Miami has done all of this despite losing Kyle Anderson, Duncan Robinson, Kevin Love, and Haywood Highsmith during the offseason. They were also without Tyler Herro for the first 17 games of the season.

In classic Spoelstra fashion, he’s squeezed every positive attribute out of his players. Jaime Jaquez is averaging 15.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Only 19 others are averaging at least 15/5/5, but Jaquez is the only one doing so off the bench. Miami rosters a Center who is 9th in rebounds per game, 12th in blocks per game, and 6th in defensive rating. You’re absolutely correct in guessing…..Kel’el Ware. Within the top 20 scorers in the league, only 5 players are averaging at least 50% from the field and 40% from three: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Anthony Edwards, Jamal Murray, and Norm Powell(!).

In another universe, this would have been played in Las Vegas with a spot in the NBA Cup Finals on the line. It’s probably the same universe where the Raptors and Heat battled for the 2020 Eastern Conference Championship. (What? No, I’m still not living in the past!).

Brian Windhorst says Tyler Herro returning has messed up Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez “mojo”

“Ware and Jaquez had bigger roles before Herro came back and playing great. Since that has happened, In addition to league catching up, them two have lost their mojo a little bit”

(Via… pic.twitter.com/QqM7u0ynw6

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) December 10, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

Since taking over as Head Coach in 2008, Erik Spoelstra has led the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals six(!) times, winning twice. His teams have had a positive defensive rating — better than league average — in 17 of his 18 seasons (including this year).

As part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary, Spoelstra was named as one of the top 15 coaches of all-time. Players and coaches alike revere him as the best coach in the league.

Spoelstra has never won Coach of the Year.

Bonus fact: 4 other coaches from the top 15 list have also never won Coach of the Year (Chuck Daly, KC Jones, Jack Ramsay, and Jerry Sloan). What an odd award.

Prediction

The Raptors are 0-5 against teams currently ranked in the top 10 offensively and 3-2 against teams currently ranked in the top 10 defensively. Framed differently, Toronto has not defeated any team (outside of Cleveland) that is currently in the top 10 offensively or defensively. Miami is on the cusp of being top 10 offensively (12th) and very much entrenched as an elite defense (4th).

Toronto has lost each of the last four visits to Miami by double-digits, and have lost five of the last six meetings overall. The Heat get the win while covering the -5.5 spread.

December 18 @ Milwaukee Bucks

You know it’s a bad season when Darvin Ham and Taurean Prince lose in the NBA Cup! The pair had famously gone undefeated en route to NBA Cup titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023 and with these Bucks last season. Their invincibility carried on for two more games this season until falling to Miami and New York and, subsequently, bowing out of the NBA Cup.

On December 4th, Giannis Antetokounmpo was diagnosed with a right calf strain and sidelined for two to four weeks. Last week was a roller coaster of emotions as the Bucks notched an impressive victory over the Celtics, but followed by an absolute dud in getting routed by the Nets. Whether or not Antetokounmpo is in the lineup, there’s no reason Milwaukee should be losing by 42 points to the Brooklyn Nets.

Doc Rivers’ team is currently 11-16 and clinging to the final play-in spot. With over $60 million in dead money going to Damian Lillard and Vasilije Micic, as well as having only one tradeable draft pick for this year’s trade deadline, the writing should be on the wall to finally trade Giannis.

And yet…

Bucks Tell Rival Teams They're Buyers As Trade Season Opens https://t.co/at5on1wEve

— RealGM (@RealGM) December 15, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

In 2013, Bobby Portis Jr. won Mr. Basketball of Arkansas.

First of all, that title sounds 100 times cooler than winning the John Wooden Award for best collegiate player! Maybe it’s because I’m picturing a bunch of basketball players on stage like a Miss America pageant, but claiming the title of your favourite sport in your home state has got to feel like the ultimate honour. (Excuse me while I nominate myself for Mr. Mini Sudoku of Ontario)

Portis would go on to play 2 seasons with the University of Arkansas before being drafted by the Chicago Bulls.

Other notable players to win Mr. Basketball of Arkansas and play for the Razorbacks: Joe Johnson, Ronnie Brewer, Daniel Gafford, Isaiah Joe, and Jaylin Williams.

Prediction

Toronto had lost the previous 4 matchups against the Bucks before routing Milwaukee by 28 in the last matchup. This should be easier sledding with Giannis out. While there’s a possibility the Bucks surprise the Raptors like they did the Celtics last week, Toronto is healthier and desperate to get back to winning basketball. Toronto wins and covers the -1.5 spread.

December 20 vs. Boston Celtics

The Raptors desperately need this game. While it’s a home game, it’s also the third of six consecutive games where the Raptors are playing in a different arena. After starting the week with games in Miami and Milwaukee, the Raptors follow up this home game against the Celtics with a three-game road trip that will see the team spend Christmas in Washington.

With trade season officially underway — players acquired during the summer can be traded on December 15th — there’s one Celtic being thrown into every fake trade by every Boston fanatic: Chris Boucher. 2025 has not been a great year for Slimm Duck. He fell out of Darko’s rotation, even as the team didn’t care for winning last year. He was left unsigned for six weeks until Boston claimed him with the veteran minimum. Boucher’s ability to knock down threes and play impactful defense should have been an easy fit in Joe Mazzulla’s system. Unfortunately, Chris is, again, on the outside looking in and not getting playing time. Hopefully, he lands somewhere because he deserves to be in the NBA!

Jaylen Brown transition scoring

Leads NBA in transition points (145)

53/93 (57%) in transition pic.twitter.com/FZ3MYpYvro

— Naylor (@Naylor408) December 14, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

Oh look, another Mr. Basketball winner!

Jaylen Brown won Mr. Basketball of Georgia in 2015.

Seriously, can we make this into a real pageant with sashes and crowns? I want to know how Jaylen Brown will cure worldwide hunger.

Actually, no, I don’t want to know.

Prediction

As desperate as Toronto will be, the fact of the matter is that Boston has owned this rivalry. The Celtics have won 12 of the previous 13 matchups. Boston hoists threes (44.7% of their shot chart is from three; 2nd in frequency) as well as Toronto defends them (33.8%; 3rd in accuracy).

Part of the reason Boston lost to Milwaukee last week was because Sam Hauser shot 0-9 from three. Against Toronto, he will surely hit all 8 of his three-point attempts! Boston beats Toronto and covers the +2.5 spread.

December 21 @ Brooklyn Nets

Toronto plays the second game of a home-road back-to-back with a visit to the rising Nets. “Rising” may be a surprising was of describing a team with a 7-18 record, but Brooklyn already has more wins in December (4) than in October and November combined.

Leading the resurgence is Michael Porter Jr. In 4 of the 5 games he’s played in December, MPJ scored between 33 and 35 points, while draining at least 5 triples in each contest. The only game he didn’t reach those plateaus was the 42-point drubbing of Milwaukee where he wasn’t needed in the 4th quarter.

Michael Porter Jr is averaging 34.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists (!!) on 56% FG and 53.5% from 3 in the month of December

He leads the entire Eastern Conference in PPG this month.

The Nets are 3-1 & MPJ is +45 in those 4 games.

Eastern Conference All-Star? pic.twitter.com/yfAOlX2GLc

— MichaelPorterTruther (@MPJTruther) December 13, 2025

Fun fact that may only interest me

Michael Porter Jr.

Yes, you guessed it. Mr. Basketball of Washington in 2017.

The following year, Kevin Porter Jr. won the honour. Did the trophy makers just re-print the ‘Porter Jr.’ name plate and revise the year?

Prediction

Toronto has won 5 straight against Brooklyn, dating back to last season. Here are the scores for each of the last 3 contests:

• November 23, 2025: 119-109
• November 11, 2025: 119-109
• April 6, 2025: 120-109

Am I going out on a limb by predicting a Raptors win and a cover of the -9.5 spread?

Last Week: 0-0*

Season Record: 16-9

*I correctly predicted the Knicks to cover last week’s game but since there was no Rap-Up, I have no proof.

Source: https://www.raptorshq.com/raptors-a...-games-december-15-21-heat-bucks-celtics-nets