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Toronto Raptors stars Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes are ready to take centre stage as the team begins its first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon in Cleveland.
Ingram, the Raptors’ leading scorer during the regular season, said the six-day break before the playoffs will help him prepare for the heightened intensity. “I’m ready to be effective in any way that I can be, whether it’s offensively or defensively,” Ingram said at the Raptors’ OVO Athletic Centre. “But, at some point in the game, you’ve got to give it to your best players and let them go make a play. I’ll be ready.”
Barnes, who averaged 18.1 points per game—third-highest on the team behind RJ Barrett’s 19.3—will also play a crucial role, especially on defense. The six-foot-eight forward is the Raptors’ defensive anchor, guarding all five positions. He led the team with 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game.
“I feel like I’m great defensively, I help our team a lot, and I’m one of the best defenders in the NBA,” Barnes said. “I take pride in that every time I step onto the floor.”
The Raptors finished the regular season with a 46-36 record, securing fifth place in the Eastern Conference and setting up a matchup against the fourth-place Cavaliers, who posted a 50-32 record.
The two teams feature contrasting styles. Cleveland boasts a high-powered offense with top-tier isolation players Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, while forwards Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley bring both defensive and scoring talent. Toronto’s game is faster paced and physical, emphasizing defense and using rotations involving Barnes, rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, and veteran centre Jakob Poeltl to create mismatches.
Barnes expressed confidence in the Raptors’ chances. “I think we can do a great job of using our physicality in this series,” he said. “Our guards can put pressure on their guards. Matching their physicality, rebounding, and taking it to the rim will be key. And then BI out there, he’s going to do his thing.”
Ingram is eager to test the Cavaliers’ defense, spearheaded by Mobley, the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year. “The good thing about this series is there are no back-to-backs,” Ingram said. “You play one game, see what they did or tried to take away, then write up another game plan and see if it’s successful. I’m excited to see how we can outsmart them.”
Neither Ingram nor Barnes has yet won an NBA playoff series. Ingram’s previous playoff runs with the New Orleans Pelicans ended in first-round exits in 2022 and 2024, and Barnes’ only playoff experience was Toronto’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in 2022.
Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic praised his players’ focus. “They’ve been playing basketball their whole lives, and they’ve been preparing for this big stage,” Rajakovic said. “This team cares deeply about this moment and worked hard to qualify directly for the playoffs. Those guys will do everything possible to be very competitive. We don’t control the outcome. We control our preparation and what we do possession by possession. That’s our approach.”
During the regular season, Toronto swept Cleveland 3-0. The Raptors averaged 114.6 points per game, ranking 21st, while Cleveland posted 119.5 points, fourth-best in the league. Defensively, Toronto allowed 111.8 points per game (ninth), compared to Cleveland’s 115.4 (15th).
Top players for the series: Ingram leads Toronto with 21.5 points per game, while Mitchell tops Cleveland with 27.9. Assists leaders are Immanuel Quickley with 5.9 per game for Toronto and Donovan Mitchell with 5.7 for Cleveland. Barnes leads the Raptors in rebounds with 7.5 per game; Evan Mobley leads Cleveland with nine.
This marks the fourth playoff meeting between the Raptors and Cavaliers, with Cleveland winning all three previous series—each featuring LeBron James.