Raptors' Brandon Ingram says stepping off the court helped him stay on it

Brandon Ingram played 77 games for the Toronto Raptors this season and the team finished 46-36 to secure the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Brandon Ingram has spent this season as a primary scorer for the Toronto Raptors and finished with 77 games played. Questions about his durability have followed his career, and he says learning when to step off the court was part of staying available. The Raptors went 46-36 and claimed the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. That finish sets up a first-round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Key facts: - Ingram played 77 games this season, his second time reaching 70 or more games in a 10-year career. - He averaged more than 33 minutes and 30 seconds per game, one of 23 players in the league to do so. - The Raptors finished 46-36, earned the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. - Ingram missed two games with a thumb injury in January and three games with a heel issue; his earlier career absences included a range of injuries reported in prior seasons. - Toronto reported using a "green, yellow and red" system to measure player load, and GM Bobby Webster described the club's medical staff as an advantage. Summary: Ingram's availability this season, supported by the Raptors' recovery and load-management approaches, was a key factor in the team's return to the playoffs. He is expected to play significant minutes for Toronto as the club begins its first-round matchup with Cleveland.