The Toronto Raptors are stumbling right when they need to make a run. After Wednesday night's disappointing 122-111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, All-Star forward Brandon Ingram had nothing to say about the current state of the team.
Returning to the city where he spent six seasons, Ingram made a valiant effort, finishing with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists. He even reached a major milestone during the competition, surpassing 11,000 career points. However, their individual success couldn't hide the collective struggles of a Raptors team that has now lost six of its last eight games.
"We're going through a little tough time," Ingram admitted after the game. "But I think it's going to bring us even more together. We've just got to figure it out. Figure out what's best for us offensively and defensively, and just play a little harder."
Brandon Ingram weighed in on whether the team is matching the urgency/intensity needed at this point in the season, where the standings are constantly changing:
"We're going through a little rough time. But I think this will bring us even more together. We just have to figure out… https://t.co/a3oWc4HE3d pic.twitter.com/5SevdZ3MXS
- Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) 12 March 2026
The "rough patch" in the crowded Eastern Conference is proving costly. This latest loss dropped Toronto from the fifth seed to seventh, leaving them half a game behind both the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. Despite Immanuel Quickley's 25 points and a stellar performance from Scotty Barnes, the Raptors couldn't stop New Orleans' duo of Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray.
Murphy caught fire from deep, scoring 28 points on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, while Murray spoiled Ingram's homecoming by adding 27 points. The Raptors struggled with efficiency, shooting just 31.8 percent from downtown compared to the Pelicans' blazing 48.3 percent.
Toronto briefly cut an 18-point deficit to just two early in the fourth quarter, but a lack of defensive urgency resulted in the Pelicans taking an 8–0 lead. For a team with championship aspirations, the margin for error is officially gone. If Ingram and the Raptors don't figure it out soon, they could find themselves fighting to stay out of the play-in tournament.
