Nearly a year after Masai Ujiri coined the phrase, the Toronto Raptors have made good on the concept: play-in for what, indeed?
Boasting a 30-16 record since the calendar turned, the Raptors’ continuous rise up the Eastern Conference standings was paid off tonight. Thanks to a 118-108 win over the Atlanta Hawks, coupled with a Cleveland Cavaliers loss to the Orlando Magic, the Raptors have locked in a top six seed to ensure they won’t be any part of the play-in tournament.
Now they await their first-round opponent, while continuing to chase the Chicago Bulls for the fifth seed and, possibly, a better matchup.