Raptors fighting for berth
Toronto is close to returning to the playoffs for the first time in four years and is trying to secure a direct Eastern berth instead of falling into the play‑in. (sportpreferred.com). The team’s final‑day results will determine whether they avoid the extra play‑in games. (sportpreferred.com)
Toronto enters Sunday at 45-36 and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, one win from a guaranteed playoff spot and out of the play-in. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) The Raptors host the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, April 12, at 6 p.m. Eastern, while Orlando visits Boston and Philadelphia hosts Milwaukee at the same time. (nba.com) (espn.com) The National Basketball Association said Toronto clinches the No. 6 seed with a win, or with losses by both Orlando and Philadelphia. Orlando can take sixth only with a win and a Toronto loss, and Philadelphia needs a win plus losses by both Toronto and Orlando. (nba.com) A sixth-place finish sends Toronto straight into the first round that begins April 18. Falling to seventh or eighth would push the Raptors into the SoFi Play-In Tournament, which runs April 14-17 and forces teams to survive extra elimination games. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) The squeeze is real because places five through nine in the East were separated by two games entering the final weekend, and Toronto was still being projected into multiple matchups. ESPN’s playoff watch had the Raptors tied with Atlanta for fifth before Friday’s games, while the league’s bracket update on Saturday listed Toronto in sixth. (espn.com) (nba.com) Toronto’s path to this point has been a quick climb under coach Darko Rajakovic. The Raptors were 45-36 entering the finale after missing the playoffs in 2023, 2024 and 2025, according to Basketball-Reference’s team pages and franchise totals. (basketball-reference.com 1) (basketball-reference.com 2) (basketball-reference.com 3) The core has been led by Brandon Ingram, who averaged 21.4 points in 76 games, Scottie Barnes at 18.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 79 games, and Immanuel Quickley at 16.6 points and 5.9 assists in 69 games. RJ Barrett added 19.1 points in 56 games. (nba.com) If Toronto handles Brooklyn, the math ends there. If the Raptors lose, they will spend Sunday afternoon scoreboard-watching in Boston and Philadelphia to see whether the direct berth holds. (nba.com) (nba.com)
