With 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Toronto Raptors’ playoff fate is still very much up in the air.
The Raptors ended a mediocre 2-3 road trip on Wednesday with a 119-94 drubbing at the hands of Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Toronto now holds a 40-32 record, good enough for sixth in the Eastern Conference. They sit just a 0.5 game ahead of the seventh-place Philadelphia 76ers (40-33) and 1.5 games better than the Miami Heat (39-34).
The Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic are not far behind, sitting two games back of the Raptors with identical 38-34 records.
East Conference PlayoffsEast Conference Playoffs
Maintaining their spot in the top six would mean the Raptors avoid the much-dreaded play-in tournament.
If you told Raptors fans at the beginning of the 2025-26 season their team would be eight games over .500 while holding down a playoff spot with 10 games remaining, most would likely take that offer.
Canada’s lone basketball franchise has missed the playoffs for three straight seasons after all, amassing a total record of 55-109 over the past two campaigns.
However, the promising vibes surrounding Darko Rajaković’s side have slowly dwindled the past few months since posting a red-hot 12-3 record in November, highlighted by a nine-game winning streak.
Toronto’s Achilles Heel all season long has been their ineffectiveness against the best teams in the NBA. The Raptors have mostly taken care of business against bottom-feeding teams like the Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers, but have really struggled against the best-of-the-best.
The Raptors are 5-19 against top 10 teams, including 0-4 against the division rival New York Knicks, losing each contest by 16 or more points. Toronto would play New York in the opening round if the playoffs started today.
If the Raptors are able to catch the 41-32 Atlanta Hawks, currently 0.5 game ahead, Toronto would likely square off against the more favourable Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, a team they’ve won all three games against this season.
Let’s take a closer look at the Raptors schedule the rest of the way.
Date Opponent (Record)
March 27 New Orleans Pelicans (25-48)
March 29 Orlando Magic (38-34)
March 31 at Detroit Pistons (52-20)
April 1 Sacramento Kings (19-54)
April 3 at Memphis Grizzlies (24-48)
April 5 at Boston Celtics (48-24)
April 7 Miami Heat (39-34)
April 9 Miami Heat (39-34)
April 10 at New York Knicks (48-25)
April 12 Brooklyn Nets (17-56)
Toronto has three games against top 10 teams – the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics and Knicks – remaining in addition to back-to-back contests against the Heat at Scotiabank Arena, two games that could go a long way in terms of avoiding the play-in.
Here’s a look at what the Sixers and Hawks have left on their schedules.
76ers (40-33) Heat (39-34)
at Charlotte Hornets (38-34) at Cleveland Cavaliers (45-28)
at Miami Heat (39-34) at Indiana Pacers (16-57)
at Washington Wizards (17-55) Philadelphia 76ers (40-33)
Minnesota Timberwolves (45-28) Boston Celtics (48-24)
Detroit Pistons (52-20) Washington Wizards (17-55)
at San Antonio Spurs (55-18) at Toronto Raptors (40-32)
at Houston Rockets (43-29) at Toronto Raptors (40-32)
at Indiana Pacers (16-57) at Washington Wizards (17-55)
Milwaukee Bucks (29-43) Atlanta Hawks (41-32)
Philadelphia has a tough final nine games with six games against teams over .500, including powerhouses like the San Antonio Spurs and Pistons.
Miami has a similar schedule, but also has two games against the lowly Wizards and one against the NBA-worst Pacers.
It should be an interesting last three weeks of the regular season.