Toronto Raptors Guaranteed Spot in Play-In Tournament

The Toronto Raptors are officially back in the postseason. Following their 128-108 win over the Charlotte Hornets and the Brooklyn Nets' 111-110 victory over the Utah Jazz, the Raptors have officially clinched a spot in the play-in tournament.

YOUR TORONTO RAPTORS ARE GOING TO THE PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT pic.twitter.com/QrzsR66mec
— Paul Ross (@RealPaulRoss) April 2, 2023

The Raptors have four games remaining on their schedule, but they won't be able to advance their seed in the Eastern Conference to sixth, so they'll be in the play-in tournament regardless of how the remainder of the regular season plays out.

The Raptors made the playoffs in eight of their previous nine seasons, the lone exception being the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season during which they were forced to play in Tampa Bay due to Canadian COVID-19 regulations.

Still, this Raptors season can hardly be declared a success quite yet. At 39-39, they're still in danger of finishing with a losing record, and a play-in tournament spot doesn't necessarily guarantee a playoff berth. The Raptors are a long way from contending, and their second-leading scorer Fred Van Vleet is set to become a free agent this offseason. Barring a splashy offseason or a seismic leap from 2021-22 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, the Raptors championship window appears closed.

The Raptors are back in action Tuesday night with a rematch in Charlotte against the Hornets.