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Toronto's Big 3 of Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett struggled offensively as the Raptors ended their trip with a 2-3 record.
Published Mar 26, 2026 • 5 minute read
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Jakob Poeltl #19 of the Toronto Raptors is fouled by Isaiah Jackson #23 of the LA Clippers in the first half at Intuit Dome on March 25, 2026 in Inglewood, California. Photo by Ronald Martinez /Getty Images
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What began on a winning note would end with a loss as the Raptors completed a 2-3 trip, a stretch that should put doubt into Toronto’s ability to win a playoff series.
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With Atlanta and Philadelphia winning on Wednesday, the fifth through seventh seeds in the Eastern Conference became even more cluttered.
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For the uninitiated, the goal is to avoid finishing seventh, which carries with it a spot in the play-in tournament.
The fifth seed seemed to be Toronto’s fate, but all bets are off, even though the Raptors do have a favourable schedule with 10 games remaining, including six at home.
The host L.A. Clippers are destined for the play-in, barring a collapse from the Phoenix Suns.
The Clippers are playing well and pounced quickly on the Raptors, who weren’t as bad as they played in Phoenix but they lacked that sense of urgency in the road finale.
Offence emerged as a major culprit Wednesday night with Toronto’s best bucket getters in Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett each having miserable shooting nights.
When the team’s Big 3 isn’t producing, the Raptors have absolutely no chance of winning.
Ingram and Barnes, for example, combined for 10 first-half points.
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Toronto padded the stats in dominating the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz, but each is not good.
Toronto’s three road losses came against the Denver Nuggets, Suns and Clippers, three good teams.
Of those three losses, by far, the most disconcerting came against the Suns and Clippers.
The Clippers led by as many as 23 points, while Toronto’s biggest advantage was two.
Had Toronto brought the same kind of intensity and desperation to begin the night as they did in the fourth quarter, the outcome could have been different.
The following are three takeaways from a 119-94 loss by the Raptors, whose record dropped to 40-32 as they slid into the No. 6 slot.
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Derrick Jones Jr. #5 of the LA Clippers takes a shot against Collin Murray-Boyles #12 of the Toronto Raptors in the second half at Intuit Dome on March 25, 2026 in Inglewood, California. Photo by Ronald Martinez /Getty Images
1. Kawhi not!
The Raptors got their first look of the season at Kawhi Leonard, who accompanied the Clippers to Toronto in mid-January when James Harden led L.A. to its OT win.
What the Raptors from Leonard on Wednesday night was the full Kawhi experience, a physical player who knows how to get to his spots.
His three-point shooting was off in the opening half, but Leonard still managed to score 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting.
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Darius Garland isn’t as good as Harden, but he can score, and he has had moments facing the Raptors, mainly when he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Thursday’s tip was Garland’s 11th with the Clippers.
When he’s knocking down shots, Garland can be a force.
He made a bucket from the half-court logo to beat the buzzer to end the third quarter.
Leonard is a force.
His pull-up game is unstoppable, his ability to take defenders off the dribble and finish at the rim or draw a foul is second to none.
He had 22 points in 24 minutes.
He ended the night by scoring 27 points.
Garland was just as lethal, especially from distance, en route to a 24-point night.
2. Dotting the eyes
In his last court appearance, Jakob Poeltl had zero points and recorded zero rebounds in 17 minutes when the Raptors were taken to the woodshed in Phoenix Sunday night.
He hasn’t played in back-to-back games since early in the season because of a back issue.
Not surprisingly, Poeltl didn’t suit up Monday night against the host Utah Jazz.
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He started against the Clippers, quickly recording a basket and a rebound.
Poeltl would be on the receiving end of an inadvertent elbow from Ben Mathurin to the face along the baseline.
Once he regained his bearings, Poeltl headed straight to the locker room.
He started the second half.
Officially, Poeltl was diagnosed with a laceration above his right eye that required five stitches.
Unlike his Clippers counterpart, Brook Lopez, Poeltl has no perimeter game.
Sandro Mamukelashvili can make shots, especially from beyond the arc.
The Raptors had both Poeltl and Mamukelashvili on the floor together in the third quarter when they tried just about everything.
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3. Not his Fultz
In his second game with the Raptors after signing a 10-day deal, Markelle Fultz was asked to run the offence.
The lone starter on the floor for Toronto was Ingram, who received plenty of attention from the Clippers as they sent an extra defender to get the ball out of his hands.
Fultz went 1-for-5 from the field Monday night in Salt Lake City.
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He missed his first attempt at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday night.
Once again, the Raptors were without Immanuel Quickley (foot).
While Quickley will heave quick shots, his ability to shoot the basketball must be respected by opponents.
The same can’t be said when Jamal Shead starts at the point.
He did look more confident against the Clippers, especially when Shead buried a corner three late in the shot clock.
Against Utah, Shead recorded a career-best 15 assists.
He had two in the opening half against the Clippers.
With Ingram back in the lineup, the offence went through him.
Still, Toronto needed more from Shead.
The jury is out on Fultz, who might stick around for a second 10-day given the fickle nature of Quickley’s right foot plantar fasciitis.
By all accounts, Quickley first experienced the discomfort in the opening half against the Suns.
A healthy Quickley makes the Raptors a much better team.
Against an inferior opponent, the Raptors can manage with Shead and Fultz.
Against a superior opponent, the Raptors get exposed.
Up next
It’s been said, and more often than not proven, that the first home game following a Western trip is the among the toughest; Raptors will be put to the test Friday night whey they entertain the New Orleans Pelicans; the Pels beat the Raptors in the Big Easy 122-111 two weeks ago; New Orleans will be in town following a date in Detroit Thursday; New Orleans has been playing well of late, but Friday’s tip is one the Raptors should win; take note that the game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.
fzicarelli@postmedia.com
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