Scottie Barnes must step up to give Raptors their best shot of upsetting Cleveland Cavaliers

So much needs to go right for Toronto in opening-round series against Cleveland Cavs, staring with the play of Scottie Barnes.

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Published Apr 17, 2026  •  4 minute read

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes dunks the ball during a game against the Brooklyn Nets. The Canadian Press

As the countdown to Saturday’s Game 1 in the best-of-seven opening-round series continues, several questions must be answered by the Raptors to pull off the upset over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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The following are five of the most pertinent questions.

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1. Is Scottie Barnes ready for takeoff?

Make no mistake: This is Barnes’ moment. Perhaps not his defining moment because the hope is the Raptors will be in a more meaningful backdrop later, but, for now, this is it.

He was a rookie when the club previously appeared in the playoffs, a time when the ball was in the hands of either Fred VanVleet or Pascal Siakam. Against Cleveland, the ball must be in Barnes’ hands.

His improved decision-making is one of the biggest areas Barnes has refined and in transition he’ll be tough to guard.

The key for Barnes is to impose his will in the mid-post and around the basket. The Cavs feature size, but Barnes will be an even more difficult matchup if he’s able to impose his physical presence.

Barnes needs to be in attack mode from his first possession to the very last. If he emerges as a legitimate force, the series figures to be long.

If he fails to step up on either end of the floor, the series figures to be short.

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Whether he’s called a point forward or whether he is asked to play at centre, Barnes must take his game to a higher level. No player will be asked to play the entire 48 minutes, but Barnes needs to be on the floor for a minimum 40 minutes, if not longer.

2. Will the moment be too big for Darko Rajakovic?

The head coach has shown signs of growth and the Raptors’ fifth-place standing reflects how Rajakovic and his staff have performed.

The playoffs are an entirely different animal, when getting exposed becomes clear for anyone paying close attention.

How the Raptors end quarters, how quickly Rajakovic adjusts in-game and in between games will tell a lot about his coaching chops.

He has to go with a shorter bench, barring foul trouble, and Rajakovic must implore his players to get out in transition at every opportunity.

Defensively, do the Raptors resort to trapping at mid-court or do they decide to send an extra defender in the half-court when James Harden has the ball or even Donovan Mitchell?

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Harden and Mitchell will get the benefit of the whistle. Having different bodies on each and perhaps even junking it up on defence will be on the table.

3. Can Brandon Ingram thrive in a complementary role?

It might sound foolish knowing Ingram has been Toronto’s primary bucket-getter and the lone player who can get off his shot in the half-court.

The above description will not change, but it’s incumbent on Ingram to move the ball. Under no circumstance, must the ball stick when it gets into Ingram’s hands.

During his time with the New Orleans Pelicans, Ingram appeared in 10 post-season games. There’s no substitute for experience.

Much like Barnes, Ingram needs to step up. And, also like Barnes, Ingram needs to attack and force the officials to make a call.

4. Will Immanuel Quickley’s questionable status scuttle the Raptors?

His hamstring injury isn’t a good sign, though it must be noted that the Cavs also are dealing with injuries.

When healthy, Quickley’s ability to get out in transition and bury three-pointers is unmatched, his ability to attack defences when he’s not heaving quick shots is also second to none among the Raptors.

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The two-point-guard look with Quickley playing off the ball alongside Jamal Shead has worked, but it remains to be seen if it’ll work against the Cavs.

Had Quickley been fully healthy, this would have been a referendum on his value, which many in basketball viewed as overly inflated when the Raptors extended Quickley. He can shoot from distance and his ability to spread the floor can’t be overstated.

Perhaps this hamstring issue while force Quickley to be used as a spot-up shooter.

5. Do the Raptors have a chance to advance?

The short answer is yes.

This is the matchup they pined for, but sometimes it’s wise to keep the be careful what you wish for expression in mind.

Having a fully engaged Quickley would certainly help the Raptors’ cause as the team’s biggest weakness, other than lack of size, is shooting.

RJ Barrett is more a slasher and cutter who always goes to his left hand, but he’ll have to extend his offence.

Read More

1. 

   How an NBA ruling could cost Raptors’ Scottie Barnes his shot at major awards
2. 

   SIMMONS: How great is Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic? Stay tuned

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The Raptors will need to be mindful of Jakob Poeltl’s minutes because he will be vulnerable on the perimeter. Collin Murray-Boyles should get meaningful minutes because the kid is tough and never backs down from any challenge.

Ja’Kobe Walter may loom as the X-factor, even though the second-year wing will be making his playoff debut. As well as Sandro Mamukelashvili, who can bury three-balls but defence is not his strength.

We’ll soon see what five-man group is on the court to close out a game while changes to the starting unit are inevitable.

Defend the three-point line, limit the likes of Harden and Mitchell, and protect the basketball — those are three of the keys heading into the series.

Cleveland is under the most scrutiny and has way more to lose.

The Raptors completed their first step by qualifying for the playoffs. They’ll learn more in this series, even if the lessons gleaned are painful.

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