Toronto Raptors' forward Scottie Barnes said his team had a good season, but didn't hit the goals it wanted to, after falling in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers in its first playoff action since 2022.Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press
Just over 12 hours after walking off Cleveland’s court at Rocket Arena, Raptors players – one after another – sat in front of a black and gold backdrop at Toronto’s OVO Athletic Centre on Monday.
They all described mourning Sunday’s Game 7 loss against the Cavaliers – or the season that was – in a different way.
Brandon Ingram felt sadness. Jakob Poeltl voiced frustration. RJ Barrett said he hasn’t had time to process everything.
“I’m in playoff mode, so right now I kind of feel weird,” Barrett said. “I feel like I should still be playing.”
Scottie Barnes – the third Raptor to speak on Monday – didn’t want to define the Raptors’ 2025-26 season as a success, given how much further he believes they could’ve gone.
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“Successful? I don’t know about successful,” Barnes said. “It was a good season for us. We went out there every single game, and we just got better, found out more about ourselves after every game.
“We worked really hard.”
The players’ Larry O’Brien aspirations came crumbling down after their 114-102 Game 7 loss. The fifth-seeded Raptors posted their highest win total since 2022 with 46. But the club’s inability to win in Cleveland, a task that proved fatal for the DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry-led teams of the mid-2010s come playoff time, meant a first-round exit for the youthful squad.
Now, the Cavaliers will travel to Detroit to play the Pistons. The Raptors will watch from home.
RJ Barrett hit the biggest shot of his career in the Raptors' Game 6 win over the Cavaliers. The Mississauga, Ont., product said he'd like to finish his career as a Raptor.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Barnes had an impeccable run despite the defeat. He posted playoff averages of 24.1 points, 8.6 assists and 6.1 rebounds. His performance even moved basketball Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley to dub him a top 15 player in the league on ESPN’s Inside the NBA.
“I want to be great,” Barnes said. “That requires winning, so I’m trying to do whatever it takes to win.”
His teammate, Ingram – the second-highest paid Raptor behind the West Palm Beach, Fla., product – didn’t play at the all-star level he’s known for.
Ingram averaged 12 points, 2.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds across five games – the lowest postseason totals in the 28-year-old’s 10-season career. He was limited to 11 minutes in Game 5 before leaving the match due to a right heel injury.
That injury kept Ingram out of the rest of the series.
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“It sucked,” Ingram said. “Mostly, because I wanted to be there for my teammates.”
It’s an injury, Ingram said, that flared up in March.
“Coming off last season playing 18 games, I really prided myself on trying to be out there every single night,” Ingram said, adding that his discomfort reached a point where he couldn’t play.
The Kinston, N.C., product said if he and starting point guard Immanuel Quickley – who missed the entire series due to a hamstring strain – were healthy, the series would have been different.
Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (12) capped a strong rookie season with a good showing against the Cavaliers, despite the Raptors bowing out in the first round of the playoffs.Sue Ogrocki/The Associated Press
Given the absences, young players like Jamal Shead, 23, Ja’Kobe Walter, 21, and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, 20, shone in heightened roles.
“We’re building this thing up day by day,” Barnes said. “And every game we’re getting better.”
“The future’s very bright for us,” Barrett said. “It’s only the beginning.”
The team built upon last season by securing the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2022. The 16-win season-over-season improvement also meant that Barrett played his first playoff series in Canada.
“The fans are insane over here. It’s the best thing ever,” Barrett said. “It’s great to play for an organization where the people care, the fans care.”
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The 2026-27 campaign will be his final season under his current contract. But the Mississauga, Ont., native isn’t shy about where he wants to be.
“I’m from here, and who doesn’t want to play at home?” Barrett said. “Of course I’m trying to stay here. I understand the business, but I want to stay here; I have no problem saying that.
“I want to be here for the rest of my career. I don’t ever want to leave.”