Barnes’ triple-double lifts Raptors past Nets, seals Toronto playoff spot
TORONTO — There’s a kind of relief that settles in when a season finally snaps into place. On Sunday, it came fast, and loud.
Scottie Barnes recorded a triple-double as the Toronto Raptors routed the Brooklyn Nets 136-101 to clinch a playoff spot in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Toronto’s regular-season finale wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. Barnes finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, doing the sort of all-around work coaches love because it doesn’t really give the other team anywhere comfortable to hide.
The Raptors (46-36) didn’t merely secure a postseason spot, they landed fifth in the East. That matters because, as the standings shifted, Toronto got the extra bounce of timing: their victory, combined with losses by the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, nudged the team up into that fifth-place position. And then the matchup started to take shape.
Toronto will face the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. The last time the Raptors were in the postseason was in 2022, when they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. So yeah—four years of waiting, and now it’s here again, with Toronto stepping into the bracket with momentum they earned on the final day.
RJ Barrett, who’s from Mississauga, Ont., led the Raptors with 26 points. Brandon Ingram added 25 points and nine rebounds, which helped keep the Nets from ever feeling fully settled into the game. Actually, Toronto never really let them breathe—Brooklyn fell behind early and stayed there, like the gap was locked in.
One detail that stood out during the flow of the night: starting point guard Immanuel Quickley didn’t return to the court after intermission because of tightness in his right hamstring. In 17 minutes, he posted four points, five assists and two rebounds. It’s the kind of moment you notice immediately, even if the crowd is still reacting to everything else.
Brooklyn’s Chaney Johnson tried to fight from the inside, grabbing a double-double off the bench with 16 points and 13 rebounds. The Nets finished the season at 20-62 with three straight losses, and E.J. Liddell had 17 points with Ben Saraf adding 15. The Raptors, meanwhile, kept stacking the margins—by the end, the final score did what it was supposed to: it told the story without needing extra explanation. And now, the story shifts to Cleveland, where Toronto will find out quickly how much that triple-double energy can carry them—actually, we’ll see soon enough.
Coachella 2026: Justin, Sabrina, Katseye and more viral moments
Southport killer: inquiry says family and authorities missed chances before dance class deaths
Roubaix : Wout van Aert renverse la malchance et bat Tadej Pogačar