Ingram, Raptors focused on clinching playoff spot - BERITAJA

TORONTO – All play the Toronto Raptors person insisted that they don’t cheque the standings, the schedule, aliases the out-of-town scoreboard.

As the regular play started to upwind down, however, a fistful of Raptors admitted to peeking astatine the Eastern Conference standings to spot really adjacent they are to clinching a playoff spot.

Except Brandon Ingram, who claims he’s shutting retired the world now much than ever.

“We’re getting person and person to what we want astatine the extremity of the season. We conscionable return it crippled by game,” he said aft Toronto hit the Miami Heat 128-114 connected Thursday night. “I stopped looking astatine the standings and I conscionable attraction connected really I could beryllium my champion aforesaid connected immoderate fixed nighttime and conscionable proceed to beryllium aggressive, find my teammates erstwhile they’re unfastened and get immoderate protect stops.”

Ingram had a season-high 38 points and added 7 rebounds and 7 assists arsenic the Raptors won some games of the back-to-back against the Heat. Toronto (45-35) moved into 5th successful the standings up of the idle Atlanta Hawks.

Although the 2 teams person identical records, the Raptors are up of Atlanta based disconnected of tiebreakers.

Toronto visits the New York Knicks connected Friday and will big the Brooklyn Nets connected Sunday successful some teams’ regular-season finale. Winning either crippled will clinch the Raptors’ first playoff berth successful 4 years.

“It’s a bully clip to beryllium successful a hit going into these playoffs,” said Ingram of his standout performance. “We return it crippled by game, effort to get better, effort to fig retired what schemes we want to do for the playoffs, and really do we onslaught each and each crippled and person a consciousness of urgency connected some sides of the basketball.

“I deliberation these past 2 games, it’s a chance for america to person a attraction and return things serious, starring them up to and into the playoffs.”

All-star Scottie Barnes sewage into early foul problem against the Heat but Ingram stepped up.

He played aggressively successful the first half, forcing the Heat to double- aliases triple-team him connected defence, opening up scoring opportunities for his Toronto teammates. Ingram had 10 points successful the first 4th and 13 successful the second.

Ingram said he knew he had to play pinch force.

“We’ve hit them 3 times this year, truthful coming retired early successful that game, we knew they were going to springiness america their champion hit, and we had to respond defensively and offensively,” said Ingram. “Tyler Herro came retired gunning and made a fewer shots, and everybody was successful onslaught mode truthful we had to beryllium capable to withstand the first tally and conscionable conflict back.”

Head coach Darko Rajakovic said that Ingram mightiness really regret specified a beardown showing.

“Now he’s successful trouble,” said Rajakovic pinch a smile. “Now we cognize what he could do, truthful we’re going to expect it.”

Ignoring the standings and focusing connected playing 1 crippled astatine a clip was Rajakovic’s edict, 1 that he’s still sticking with. Asked what his expectations were heading into the decisive weekend, he wouldn’t moreover look beyond the adjacent 24 hours.

“We’re going to effort to hit Miami to the airdrome because our flights are astatine the aforesaid time,” said Rajakovic to laughter. “Then we spell to New York and compete the champion we could against New York.”

This study by BERITAJA was first published April 10, 2026.