The Toronto Raptors have a chance to take a series lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 on Wednesday, thanks in large part to the stellar play of RJ Barrett. While Scottie Barnes and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles have received praise for shifting the series after Cleveland won the first two games at home, Barrett has been a driving force on both ends of the floor.
Barrett's Offensive Prowess
Barrett's scoring ability has never been in question. He was a five-star recruit at Duke, the third overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, and a consistent scorer for the New York Knicks before being traded to the Raptors. After leading Toronto in scoring for 1.5 seasons, Barrett adapted his game this year with the arrival of fellow Duke alum Brandon Ingram. He averaged 19.3 points, shot 49% from the field, and improved his free-throw accuracy by nearly 10%. In the playoffs, Barrett has elevated his performance, averaging 24.3 points on 55% shooting, including 47.6% from three-point range.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic praised Barrett's commitment. “Any time that there is a playoff series, any time there are hard times, I think you see what a player is made of,” Rajakovic said. “With RJ specifically, it’s really showing how much he cares, how much he’s trying to help the team win.”
Fourth Quarter Dominance
Barrett has been particularly effective in the fourth quarter, scoring 38 points on 15-for-20 shooting, leading all players before Tuesday's games. Teammate Jamal Shead attributed this to Barrett's composure. “Because he’s calm. He’s never scared and he gets to what he knows,” Shead said. “I think there’s not a shot that he takes in those fourth quarters that we’re like, ‘Oh, that’s not an RJ shot.’ We’re cool with it.”
Barrett led Toronto in fourth-quarter scoring during the regular season, stepping up as Ingram struggled and Barnes focused on defense. With injured point guard Immanuel Quickley sidelined, Barrett's offensive contributions are even more critical.
Defensive Impact
While Barrett has not been known as a strong defender, he has excelled in this series. He has held former MVP James Harden to 2-for-15 shooting, three assists, and four turnovers when matched up directly. Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell has fared better but not spectacularly. Barrett acknowledged the challenge of guarding Mitchell but emphasized the importance of persistence. “Results show,” Rajakovic said. “I think he’s been doing a great job of being able to guard the ball, being able to be in the paint, guarding the bigs, switching roles throughout the game.”
Shead added with a smile, “RJ Barrett has shown a lot of people that he can guard if there’s a narrative that he couldn’t guard. I think it was just because he didn’t want to for a while.”
Series Context
Toronto is looking to win a playoff game in Cleveland for the first time since 2016, having lost nine straight there. The Cavaliers have won by an average of 20.1 points in those games. The Raptors are 7-5 in playoff series tied 2-2, and 11-6 all-time in Game 5s. Historically, Game 5 winners advance 81.5% of the time, and home teams in Game 5 win the series 73.1% of the time.
Last season, only three series began 2-2. Denver beat the Clippers in seven, then lost to Oklahoma City in seven, and the Thunder barely defeated Indiana in the Finals in seven. This year, New York versus Atlanta also started 2-2, and Orlando versus Detroit could have as well had the Pistons not fallen behind 3-1.
