{"id":315369,"date":"2026-04-08T14:36:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T09:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=315369"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:36:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T09:06:19","slug":"banged-up-raptors-closing-in-on-playoff-spot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/08\/banged-up-raptors-closing-in-on-playoff-spot\/","title":{"rendered":"Banged up Raptors closing in on playoff spot"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>TORONTO \u2013 Everyone on the Toronto Raptors is hurting but, with three regular-season games left on the schedule and the ultimate playoff spot theirs for the taking, they\u2019re playing through it.<\/p>\n<p>Scottie Barnes had 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists as Toronto earned a critical 121-95 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday. In line with head coach Darko Rajakovic, Barnes took a stiff shot to his ribs within the Raptors\u2019 115-101 loss to the Boston Celtics two days earlier.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been banged up, but, you recognize, you\u2019ve just got to play through it,\u201d said Barnes after the victory over Miami. \u201cCan\u2019t really give attention to that, just attempt to play along with your brain and take a look at to make certain that you are feeling nearly as good as possible. Trick yourself in that way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut just go on the market and play with a variety of effort, play with a variety of energy, recover, and just attempt to win.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"l-article__part\" data-shortcode=\"related_videos\">\n<div class=\"l-inlineStories l-inlineStories--video\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"l-inlineStories__title\">Related Videos<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<section id=\"miniplayer-carousel\" class=\"l-videoCarousel l-videoCarousel--embed c-carousel\" data-video-carousel-play-inline=\"true\" data-video-carousel-init=\"false\" aria-label=\"Video carousel contains 10 videos.\">\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__inner\">\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__featured\">\n<div class=\"c-video c-videoPlay \" data-iframe-receiver=\"\" data-autoplay=\"\" data-displayinline-featured=\"true\" data-displayinline-type=\"video\" data-displayinline-player-id=\"miniplayer\" data-displayinline-video-id=\"11736470\" data-displayinline-ratio=\"16:9\" data-displayinline=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/embed\/playlist\/11736470,11520120,11519608,11499192,11272226,11267415,11265148,11264380,11194605,11009057\/?poster=https%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fmedia.globalnews.ca%2Fvideostatic%2Fnews%2Fi1cz8nprrt-1lb2c4wke3%2FRAPTORS_FAN_DAY_VMS.jpg%3Fw%3D1200%26quality%3D70%26strip%3Dall#autoplay&#038;stickyiframe=miniplayer\" data-displayinline-playlist=\"11736470,11520120,11519608,11499192,11272226,11267415,11265148,11264380,11194605,11009057\" data-displayinline-sticky=\"true\" data-permutive-data='{\"content\":{\"name\":\"Toronto Raptors hold annual March break fan day at Scotiabank Arena\",\"type\":\"video\",\"sections\":[\"videos\",\"barrie\",\"durham\",\"guelph\",\"hamilton\",\"kingston\",\"kitchener\",\"london\",\"national\",\"ottawa\",\"peterborough\",\"toronto\",\"canada\",\"sports\"],\"keywords\":[\"acc\",\"basketballs\",\"canadian-tire\",\"good-news\",\"jurassic-park\",\"nba\",\"nba-fan-days\",\"ontario\",\"raps\",\"raptors\",\"raptors-fan-day\",\"scotiabank-arena\",\"short-clip\",\"toronto-raptors\"],\"iab\":{\"categories\":[\"Sports\/Team Sports\/Basketball\",\"Sports\/College Sports\",\"News\",\"Sports\",\"News\/Sports News\",\"Sports\/Team Sports\"],\"tags\":[\"Basketball\",\"Boston Celtics\",\"Bruise\",\"Darko Rajakoviu0107\",\"Davion Mitchell\",\"Eastern Conference (NBA)\",\"Energy\",\"Foot\",\"Head coach\",\"Immanuel Quickley\",\"Knee\",\"Miami\",\"Miami Heat\",\"National Basketball Association\",\"NBA Play-In Tournament\",\"Pain\",\"Plantar fasciitis\",\"Playoffs\",\"Rebound (basketball)\",\"Sandro Mamukelashvili\",\"Scotiabank\",\"Scotiabank Arena\",\"Scottie Barnes\",\"Seed\",\"The Canadian Press\",\"Thumb\",\"Toronto\",\"Toronto Raptors\",\"Tournament\"]}}}'>\n<div class=\"c-video__inner \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__placeholder\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'Toronto Raptors hold annual March break fan day at Scotiabank Arena'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/i1cz8nprrt-1lb2c4wke3\/RAPTORS_FAN_DAY_VMS.jpg?w=1040&#038;quality=70&#038;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, \" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1040px) 1040px,(min-width: 720px) 720px,450px\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__overlay\"><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"c-video__duration\">1:08<\/time><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__title\">Toronto Raptors hold annual March break fan day at Scotiabank Arena<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__glide glide \">\n<div class=\"glide__arrows c-carousel__buttons l-videoCarousel__buttons\" data-glide-el=\"controls\">\n\t<button class=\"glide__arrow glide__arrow--left c-carousel__button c-carousel__prev l-videoCarousel__button l-videoCarousel__prev c-longform-gallery__prev\" data-glide-dir=\"<\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Previous Video<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<button class=\"glide__arrow glide__arrow--right c-carousel__button c-carousel__next l-videoCarousel__button l-videoCarousel__next c-longform-gallery__next\" data-glide-dir=\">&#8220;><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Next Video<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"c-carousel__goto\" data-glide-dir=\"=0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><\/button>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t<!-- video stream item --><\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Toronto (44-35) tightened its grip on the sixth and final playoff spot within the Eastern Conference with the win.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup\" data-newsletter-inline=\"\">\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"225\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/shaw-globalnews\/images\/skyline\/national.jpg\" alt=\"Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup__content\">\n<h2 class=\"c-inlineSignup__title\">Get breaking National news<\/h2>\n<p>Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox because it happens so you will not miss a trending story.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Miami (41-38) was tenth within the East, holding the fourth seed within the conference\u2019s play-in tournament, three games back of the Raptors.<\/p>\n<p>The 2 teams meet again Thursday at Scotiabank Arena.<\/p>\n<p>Immanuel Quickley (plantar fasciitis, right foot), Sandro Mamukelashvili (left knee soreness) and rookie centre Collin Murray-Boyles (right quad contusion) were all game-time decisions, but were made available to play for Toronto lower than an hour before the opening tipoff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLong season, man. It\u2019s hard. It\u2019s tough,\u201d said Murray-Boyles, who had six points and eight rebounds but was plus-17 against Miami. \u201cObviously, that is like three (collegiate) seasons, all balled into one.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cDefinitely tough, but I feel it helps me for the long run, knowing the way to really prepare myself for these style of moments, especially at the top of this season.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Murray-Boyles had two blocks and a steal because the Raptors turned in a formidable defensive showing.<\/p>\n<p>The Heat have been held to fewer than 100 points just six times this season, but three of those times were against Toronto.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-tabs\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t<button role=\"tab\" class=\"c-tabs__tab c-tabs__tab--active\" type=\"button\">More on Sports<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t<button role=\"tab\" class=\"c-tabs__tab\" type=\"button\">More videos<\/button>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>On top of dealing along with his right-quad contusion, Murray-Boyles has been managing a sprained left thumb throughout the season. Even though it takes a beating in every rebound, block, steal and deflection, the 20-year-old said he has no intention of slowing down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be playing if I did that. That\u2019s my identity, being aggressive,\u201d said Murray-Boyles. \u201c, being a defensive pest on the market, being energetic and stuff like that, that\u2019s what I made a reputation off of.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI actually have to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Quickley began against Miami, scoring three points and adding 4 assists and 4 rebounds in 18 minutes of play.<\/p>\n<p>Rajakovic said that, despite the dominant win over the Heat, Toronto still isn\u2019t playing to one of the best of its abilities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause we\u2019re really banged up still,\u201d he said. \u201cSeveral guys played banged up, played through a variety of pain.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s the NBA. That\u2019s the a part of the season we\u2019re in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2026.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t&#038;copy 2026 The Canadian Press\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TORONTO \u2013 Everyone on the Toronto Raptors is hurting but, with three regular-season games left on the schedule and the ultimate playoff spot theirs for the taking, they\u2019re playing through it. Scottie Barnes had 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists as Toronto earned a critical 121-95 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday. In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":315370,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[27576,1103,2441,3491,3399],"class_list":["post-315369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-banged","tag-closing","tag-playoff","tag-raptors","tag-spot"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=315369"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315369\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":315372,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315369\/revisions\/315372"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/315370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=315369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=315369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=315369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}