Playoff-Ready Raptors close strong with statement win against Nets

No one ever said it had to be easy, they just had to get it done. And that is exactly what the Raptors did.

On Sunday afternoon, Toronto controlled its own destiny: win against the Brooklyn Nets and avoid the play-in tournament. The Raptors rose to the occasion, delivering a dominant 136–101 victory to secure the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and set up a first-round matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For the first time in four seasons, the Raptors are heading back to the playoffs.

Toronto’s offence came out firing in the first quarter, generating quality looks early, and much of that success stemmed from Scottie Barnes and his playmaking. Barnes racked up five assists in the opening frame, doing an excellent job of getting the bigs involved right away.

He connected with Jakob Poeltl twice, first on a dunk for the Raptors’ second basket of the game, then again less than 30 seconds later on a fastbreak finish. Sandro Mamukelashvili also benefited from Barnes’ vision, finishing on the receiving end of two assists. The first came on a kick-out for a straightaway three, and the second on a driving floater just over a minute before the first quarter buzzer sounded.

While Barnes facilitated, Brandon Ingram carried the scoring load early. BI3 poured in 12 first-half points, all in the opening quarter, knocking down a pair of threes and grabbing four rebounds in just nine minutes of action.

The second quarter told a different story offensively. Immanuel Quickley took over primary playmaking duties, allowing Barnes to shift into scoring mode, and he delivered. Barnes posted 12 points, three rebounds, and three assists in the quarter, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. He thrived in transition, throwing down three dunks, including a fastbreak layup.

Ja’Kobe Walter also made his presence felt. Entering the game with a chance to become just the 14th player in Raptors history to shoot 40 percent or better from deep over a season, he helped his case by knocking down three first-half triples, two of them coming in the second quarter.

Toronto carried a 70–61 lead into halftime, fueled by strong ball movement and elite efficiency. The Raps recorded 21 assists in the first half while shooting a blistering 66.7 percent from the field and just under 48 percent from beyond the arc.

Toronto’s defense defined the second half, especially in the fourth quarter. The Raptors clamped down on the Nets, holding them to just 27.8 percent shooting (5-for-18) from the field. That defensive intensity fueled a dominant 36–17 run in the final frame, where RJ Barrett put the game away. Barrett scored nine of his game-high 26 points in the fourth, shooting a perfect 3-for-3.

Scottie Barnes continued to orchestrate the offense in the second half, securing his third triple-double of the season and the ninth of his career. Barnes finished with a stat line of 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, marking his 12th game this season with at least 10 assists.

After not seeing the floor in the first half, AJ Lawson made the most of his second-half opportunity. In just 11 minutes, Lawson scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including two shots from beyond the arc.

For the Nets, Tyson Etienne led the way with 20 points, finishing just three shy of his career high. He also added one rebound, four assists, and two steals. Ben Saraf contributed a solid all-around performance with 15 points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals before fouling out.

Toronto now heads into the playoffs riding momentum, having won three of their last four games. They will now face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, a matchup that has favored the Raptors this season, as they went 3–0 against Cleveland.

It has not been easy for the Raptors in recent seasons. They have had a long journey back to the big dance. They have suffered two tough losing seasons in 2023-24 and 2024-25 but they will get their chance again. The Raptors first playoff game will be in Cleveland with Game 1 set for Saturday, April 18th at 1 p.m. ET.

The post Playoff-Ready Raptors close strong with statement win against Nets first appeared on Raptors Republic.