"The Toronto Raptors have won three consecutive games against postseason-caliber teams and now sit at .500. With this in mind, the NBA should be buzzing about the potential of an unorthodox unit that seems to have the tools to exceed expectations. Unfortunately, ESPN isn't ready to believe in the Raptors. Instead, their recent power rankings revealed that Toronto is still viewed as a below-average team."
"Toronto is 4-4 through eight games despite playing three without starting center Jakob Poeltl and two without promising rookie Collin Murray-Boyles. It's defeated four teams with realistic postseason dreams and suffered two losses by 10 points or less. Unfortunately, ESPN ranked Toronto as the No. 20 team in its latest batch of power rankings-below the 3-5 Orlando Magic, 3-5 Boston Celtics, and 4-4 Atlanta Hawks."
"Toronto responded to a 1-4 start by going to and defeating Cleveland 112-101, with RJ Barrett, Jamison Battle, and Brandon Ingram all exceeding 20 points. It then rallied behind 27 points from Barrett, 26 from Brandon Ingram, and 19 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, and five blocks from Scottie Barnes to topple the Memphis Grizzlies 117-104. In its most recent outing, both Barnes and Barrett scored 23 points, and six Raptors finished in double figures as Toronto blew Milwaukee out 128-100."
The Toronto Raptors have won three consecutive games against postseason-caliber opponents and currently stand 4-4 through eight games. The team has played three games without starting center Jakob Poeltl and two without rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, yet defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks during the recent streak. Key contributors include RJ Barrett, Jamison Battle, Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes, with Barnes delivering notable all-around impact. ESPN placed Toronto at No. 20 in its latest power rankings, below several teams with similar records. The roster's unorthodox construction and recent surge indicate realistic potential for a 2025-26 postseason push.
Read at Raptors Rapture
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