Raptors, Clippers Jockeying for Playoff Position

Toronto closes out road trip, Los Angeles looks to solidify play-in spot

Mar. 25, 2026 at 5:55am

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The Toronto Raptors are wrapping up a pivotal five-game road trip, looking to finish above .500, as they take on the Los Angeles Clippers, who are fighting for positioning in the Western Conference play-in round. The Raptors have been led by balanced scoring efforts, including a franchise-record 49 assists in their last game, while the Clippers have leaned on the scoring of Kawhi Leonard as they've undergone roster changes ahead of the postseason.

Why it matters

Both teams are jockeying for playoff positioning, with the Raptors trying to secure a guaranteed playoff spot in the East and the Clippers aiming to solidify their place in the West's play-in round. The outcome of this game could have significant implications on the final standings and postseason seeding for these two contending squads.

The details

The Raptors are coming off a 143-127 win over the Jazz, led by 27 points from RJ Barrett and strong contributions from Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ja'Kobe Walter, and Scottie Barnes, who also had 10 assists. They'll be without leading scorer Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley, who are both listed as questionable. The Clippers are led by Kawhi Leonard's 28.3 points per game and have made some midseason roster moves, including trading for Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin, who is currently sidelined with a toe injury.

  • The Raptors are wrapping up a five-game road trip on Wednesday.
  • The Clippers clinched a spot in the Western Conference play-in round on Monday.

The players

Scottie Barnes

A Raptors player who had 20 points and 10 assists in the team's last game.

Kawhi Leonard

The Clippers' leading scorer, averaging 28.3 points per game.

Darius Garland

A midseason acquisition for the Clippers, who scored 41 points in a recent game.

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What they’re saying

“That's something we really like to do and emphasize, the ball movement, the body movement.”

— Darko Rajakovic, Raptors coach

“Executing down the stretch and making limited mistakes.”

— Kawhi Leonard

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game is crucial for both teams as they jockey for playoff positioning, with the Raptors trying to secure a guaranteed spot in the East and the Clippers aiming to solidify their place in the West's play-in round. The outcome could have significant implications on the final standings and postseason seeding for these two contending squads.