Raptors Aim to Bounce Back Against Kings

Toronto looks to find its shooting touch after slow start against Pistons

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:10pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Toronto Raptors will host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, seeking to rebound from a disappointing loss to the Detroit Pistons in which they struggled to score early. The Raptors, who are jockeying for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, will look to their reserves like Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Murray-Boyles to provide a spark against a Kings team dealing with its own injury issues.

Why it matters

The Raptors are in a tight race for playoff seeding in the East, so bouncing back from the loss to Detroit will be crucial. Meanwhile, the Kings are playing out the string of another losing season, but will look to their young players to gain valuable experience.

The details

In their loss to the Pistons, the Raptors did not score a field goal until the 4:51 mark of the first quarter, falling behind early. They were able to make a late run thanks to strong performances from reserves like Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Murray-Boyles, and A.J. Lawson, but ultimately came up short. The Kings, meanwhile, have dropped four straight and six of seven, and were blown out by the Nets in their last game.

  • The Raptors and Kings will tip off on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
  • The Raptors are coming off a loss to the Pistons on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

The players

RJ Barrett

A key player for the Raptors who scored 24 points in the loss to the Pistons.

Brandon Ingram

Contributed 22 points for the Raptors in the loss to Detroit.

Sandro Mamukelashvili

A Raptors reserve who scored 16 points in the loss to the Pistons.

Collin Murray-Boyles

A Raptors reserve who had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the loss to Detroit.

A.J. Lawson

A Raptors reserve who scored 13 points in the loss to the Pistons.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We played some very good defense in the first quarter, we just did not make open shots. We had a drought shooting 3s in the first half, shooting only 3-for-15.”

— Darko Rajakovic, Raptors Coach

“This is about professionalism. I thought early that we didn't meet the level of physicality. Then, in the third quarter, we came out and met the level, and just kind of ran out of gas. But that first quarter is not really who we are and what we want to be about, and what we put out when we put on a Sacramento Kings jersey.”

— Doug Christie, Kings Coach

What’s next

The Raptors will look to bounce back and improve their playoff positioning, while the Kings will continue to develop their young players as they play out the string of another losing season.

The takeaway

The Raptors' loss to the Pistons highlighted their need to get off to a quicker start, but their reserves showed they can provide a spark when called upon. The Kings, meanwhile, are still searching for consistency and effort as they look to the future.