There is some good news for Raptors fans as the team approaches the end of what has been an up-and-down regular season.
Toronto has clinched a Play-In Tournament berth, so it will have a chance to reach the 2023 NBA Playoffs. If they manage to survive and advance, the Raptors would secure a playoff spot for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons.
"We've just been trying to figure out our rhythm and continue to fight," Raptors forward Pascal Siakam recently told ESPN's Malika Andrews. "Now that we're in a position where we can get in there, that's just our goal — get in the playoffs, and again, I always say that once we get into the playoffs we can make some noise.
"I don't think it would be fun for a lot of teams to play us."
The bad news? Toronto may have to travel down a difficult road in order to reach the main bracket.
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Raptors' path to 2023 NBA Playoffs
End of regular season
With only two games left in the regular season, the Raptors are sitting at No. 9 in the Eastern Conference standings. They are one game behind the Hawks and two games ahead of the Bulls.
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 7. | Heat | 42-37 |
| 8. | Hawks | 41-39 |
| 9. | Raptors | 40-40 |
| 10. | Bulls | 38-42 |
The Bulls are locked into the No. 10 seed, so the Raptors can't fall below No. 9. It is still mathematically possible for them to pass the Hawks and slide up to No. 8, but Basketball Reference's playoff probabilities report gives the Raptors a 93.7 percent chance to stay in their current slot.
NBA Play-In Tournament
In the most likely scenario, Toronto would have to win two Play-In Tournament games if it wants to move on to the first round of the playoffs. The Raptors would battle the Bulls in the first game, then face either the Heat or Hawks in the second game.
During the regular season, Toronto went 2-1 against Chicago, 1-2 against Atlanta and 3-1 against Miami.
NBA Playoffs
If the Raptors can navigate their way through the Play-In Tournament, there would be a juggernaut waiting for them.
The Bucks and Celtics already know that they will be the top two seeds in the East. The No. 8 seed will meet Milwaukee, and the No. 7 seed will attempt to take down the defending conference champions.
The Raptors have one regular season game left against each of those teams, but the previous results aren't exactly encouraging. Toronto has not yet defeated Milwaukee or Boston, going a combined 0-6 against the title contenders.
