Can the Raptors Finish Top Four in the East?

Last year’s Toronto Raptors exceeded expectations, as the young and athletic squad racked up 46 wins, their most since the 2021-22 season, and finished fifth in the Eastern Conference before pushing the fourth-seed Cleveland Cavaliers to the brink in the first round of the playoffs.

The Cavs’ second-half surge in Game 7 highlighted the importance of homecourt advantage (and experience) in the postseason. With the addition of former Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, growth from the teams’ young core, and the scars of playoff battles, can the Raps win enough games to finish in the top four in a brutal Eastern Conference?

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Can the Raptors take the next step?

Last year’s team was a pain for opponents to play against, especially in front of raucous Scotiabank Arena crowds. Toronto had a top-five defence that refused to let opponents get comfortable in their offensive sets, thanks to intense ball pressure from bulldogs like Scottie Barnes and Jamal Shead, but their offence was squarely in the middle of the pack (15th in offensive efficiency) and struggled to generate clean looks in the fourth quarters of tight games. Adding a two-way superstar like Kawhi should only bolster an already-strong defence, while adding a proven late-game scorer who can help get them unstuck in late-game situations. Still, though, a few question marks remain.

TORONTO, ON- APRIL 12 – Guard Garrett Temple #17 of the Toronto Raptors greets guard Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors during player introductions as the Toronto Raptors play the Brooklyn Nets at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. April 12, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Photo by Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images

The ’25-’26 Raptors were a below-average three-point shooting team, which restricted the spacing that Barnes, a slasher who thrives in transition, needs to dominate, and they were in the bottom half of the league in both offensive and defensive rebounding. Their ability to address those two weaknesses will go a long way toward helping them shoot further up the standings.

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The current squad is replete with quality…

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Publish date : 2026-10-14 16:00:00

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