The Toronto Raptors resume their schedule Thursday against the Chicago Bulls to begin the post-All-Star portion of the 2025-26 season. Toronto is 32-23 (.582) and sits fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, positioning itself firmly in the playoff race.

Head coach Darko Rajaković’s team has relied heavily on its core. Brandon Ingram leads the Raptors in scoring at 21.8 points per game, providing half-court shot creation and late-clock scoring. Scottie Barnes continues to anchor the frontcourt with two-way production, while Immanuel Quickley sets the table offensively and controls tempo. RJ Barrett, who has been injured for much of the season, rounds out the primary scoring group and could supply additional perimeter pressure when healthy.

Toronto’s  performance against sub-.500 opponents will be critical over the final stretch, particularly with several winnable matchups remaining.

Thursday’s opponent, Chicago, enters at 24-31, outside firm playoff positioning and Toronto can create separation with a strong start to the second half, beginning with a win on the road. Behind the Raptors in the standings are the Philadelphia 76ers (30-24), Orlando Magic (28-25), Atlanta Hawks (26-30) and a sleeper team in the Milwaukee Bucks (23-30).

Ahead of Toronto, the Cleveland Cavaliers (34-21), New York Knicks (35-20) and Boston Celtics (35-19) remain direct competitors for seeding. Securing a top-six seed is significant, as it would allow Toronto to avoid the play-in tournament.

On the defensive side of the court, the Raptors have performed well this season. They rank eighth in points per game allowed (112.25) and have been successful at limiting efficiency in late possessions. Sustaining that level across the final 27 games will be essential.

However, scoring has been a major hurdle for Toronto this season. Despite Ingram’s production, the Raptors rank 23rd on offense (113.8) and have struggled to find a reliable secondary scorer this season.

While Barnes’ impact on both ends has allowed Toronto to switch defensively and maintain pace offensively, the question remains if the team can sustain this. 

The Raptors’ closing schedule includes winnable matchups, with 11 of their remaining games against teams with the top 10 worst records. To put this in clearer perspective, Toronto is currently 21-7 against teams that are .500 or worse this season.

The Raptors have also been one of the best road teams this season, with a 16-10 record and could use this to their advantage down the stretch, with 15 of these 27 games on the road.

Toronto firmly controls its destiny entering the final stretch and the Bulls game is expected to set the tone. A disciplined approach against lower-seeded teams and competitive showings versus conference leaders will determine whether the Raptors finish fifth or climb higher before the regular season concludes.