Raptors near playoffs as Scottie Barnes calls return long overdue

With one regular-season game left, the Toronto Raptors can clinch a postseason spot by beating the Brooklyn Nets at home; players including Scottie Barnes and Sandro Mamukelashvili expressed excitement about a likely return to the playoffs.

The Toronto Raptors are one win away from reaching the NBA postseason. With a single regular-season game remaining, a home victory over the Brooklyn Nets would secure their place. The club had back-to-back difficult seasons of 25 and 30 wins and faced early skepticism about returning to the playoffs. Several players have spoken about how meaningful a return would be after those years away. Current status: - One regular-season game remains; a Toronto win at home over Brooklyn would clinch a playoff berth. - The team can finish as high as fifth or as low as eighth depending on other results and tie-breakers, and the article outlines specific combinations involving Atlanta, Orlando, Philadelphia and others. - Scottie Barnes expressed excitement and described the potential return as long overdue, and teammates including Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jakob Poeltl also noted their eagerness to get back to postseason play. - The Raptors were widely viewed as long shots earlier in the year after two rebuilding seasons, but recent wins have put them in position to qualify. - The article also notes league positioning and other teams' late-season results as factors shaping Toronto’s final standing. Summary: A Toronto win in the remaining regular-season game would end a multi-season absence from the postseason for many players and send the club into the playoffs or play-in depending on final seeding. If the Raptors do not win, final placement will depend on the other games and tie-breakers, leaving multiple possible outcomes. The immediate next step is the team’s final regular-season game at home against Brooklyn to determine which path occurs.