TORONTO — They’re here.

The only Toronto Raptors player who was on the team the last time they were in the playoffs is Scottie Barnes, which speaks to how quickly things change in the NBA. Barnes was a rookie in 2021-22 when the Raptors lost in six games to Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, which were bolstered by adding James Harden in a big mid-season trade. Back then, Barnes was relying on veterans Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby to help show him the way as then Raptors head coach Nick Nurse tried to engineer an upset. Now Barnes is in his fifth season and he’s trying to lead a relatively recently put-together team into the post-season against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which acquired Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers in a big mid-season trade. Nick Nurse now coaches Embiid and the 76ers.

The fifth-seeded Raptors travel to Cleveland to take on the fourth-seeded Cavaliers for Game 1 on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet . Game 2 is on Monday, before the series switches to Toronto for Games 3 and 4 on April 23 and 26.

Toronto had its first media availability of the playoffs on Wednesday afternoon at the OVO Athletic Centre.

Raptors return to the playoffs on SportsnetThe Toronto Raptors are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Watch Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday at 1 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. PT on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet .

Raptors return to the playoffs on Sportsnet

The Toronto Raptors are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Watch Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers........

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