Raptors Climb Power Rankings After Pistons Win

Toronto's recent victories over the Suns and Pistons have boosted them back into the top six in the East.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 11:03am

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The Toronto Raptors have won their last two games against the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons, propelling them back into the top six in the Eastern Conference standings. However, the Raptors remain in the No. 12 spot in power rankings across the internet despite the recent success.

Why it matters

The Raptors have struggled with consistency this season, going through a 2-6 stretch that had knocked them out of the top six in the East. These latest wins show the team's potential, but they still need to prove themselves against tougher competition to rise in the power rankings.

The details

The Raptors' wins over the Suns and Pistons have them back in sixth place in the East, but they are still ranked 12th in overall power rankings. They have struggled against the top teams in the West, going 2-11 (1-4 on the road) against the West's top eight teams. An upcoming five-game road trip against the Bulls, Nuggets, Suns, Jazz, and Clippers will be a key test for the Raptors to show they can beat elite competition and climb the rankings.

  • The Raptors have won their last two games, beating the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons at home.
  • Over their last 11 games, the Raptors have scored at least 119 points five times, going 5-0 in those games but 0-6 when they don't reach that scoring threshold.

The players

Jamal Shead

A Toronto rookie from last season who was "daggered" by Dejounte Murray, which may have lit a fire under the Raptors.

Dejounte Murray

A rotational big man for the Raptors who has been effective but injury-prone, particularly with a thumb injury.

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What they’re saying

“A 2-6 stretch had taken the Raptors out of the top six in the East, but they're back in sixth place after beating the Suns and Pistons over the weekend.”

— John Schuhmann

“Before we get to this year's rookies, we have to discuss last year's Toronto rookie, Jamal Shead. Getting daggered by Dejounte Murray was a terrible look, but maybe that lit a fire under these docile dinosaurs, because they went home and got two impressive wins.”

— Dejounte Murray

What’s next

The Raptors' upcoming five-game road trip against the Bulls, Nuggets, Suns, Jazz, and Clippers will be a key test to see if they can beat elite competition and climb higher in the power rankings.

The takeaway

The Raptors have shown they can beat weaker teams, but they need to prove themselves against the league's top contenders on their upcoming road trip in order to rise in the power rankings and solidify their standing as a playoff team in the East.