Raptors ready for playoff basketball in Toronto - BERITAJA

TORONTO – RJ Barrett has been waiting his full life, each 25 years, to play post-season hoops successful Toronto.

The hold is yet over.

Barrett, from Mississauga, Ont., will beryllium successful the starting lineup connected Thursday nighttime erstwhile the Raptors big the Cleveland Cavaliers successful Game 3 of their playoff series. It’s the first clip Toronto has been successful the playoffs successful 4 years, and Barrett has only been pinch the squad since December 2023.

“I consciousness for illustration a small kid today, man,” said Barrett aft greeting shootaround astatine OVO Athletic Centre. “I get to spell play, not only successful beforehand of each the fans, but successful beforehand of my family and friends. I return pridefulness successful it. I’ve ever been saying, like, conscionable being here, I want to beryllium connected a winning team.

“I can’t locomotion about saying, like, ‘I’m connected the Raptors, and we person a unspeakable record.’ That’s embarrassing, but I’m excited to conscionable play successful beforehand of the crowd, the fans, family and friends.”

The Cavaliers lead the best-of-seven bid 2-0 aft winning the first 2 games successful Cleveland. Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena will besides big Game 4 connected Sunday afternoon.

If a Game 5 is necessary, the bid will displacement backmost to Cleveland’s Rocket Arena connected Wednesday.

“It’s gonna beryllium crazy successful location tonight. The ambiance is gonna beryllium nuts. I’m excited,” said Barrett of playing successful Toronto. “I had problem sleeping, I was truthful excited.

“But this would beryllium a awesome opportunity for america to play difficult successful beforehand of our fans, and get a bully win. Down 2 games. Get 1 tonight, and it’s a series.”

Second-year defender Jamal Shead said that the Raptors request the support of Canadian hoops fans some wrong and extracurricular of Scotiabank Arena.

“I deliberation the connection is clear is that we request them,” he said beside Toronto’s believe court. “I deliberation Cleveland had a bully showing, but our fans are measurement better.

“It’s clip for them to show it, and it’s clip for america to show that we’ve sewage immoderate conflict successful us.”

The 2 teammates had differing views connected home-court advantage, the thought that playing successful your ain arena offers immoderate benignant of competitory edge.

“I deliberation being successful Scotia is gonna make a difference,” said Shead. “I deliberation that playing pinch our fans down america is gonna make a really large quality for america successful this game.”

Barrett, aft a agelong pause, said he disagreed.

“Me personally. I don’t care. I for illustration being connected the road, being a villain,” said Barrett. “For our team, it will springiness america immoderate juice, immoderate life. Whenever you person that crowd location cheering for you, it decidedly feels good.

“It feels good, and particularly successful this playoff environment, it’s a reliable environment.”

This study by BERITAJA was first published April 23, 2026.