As he prepared for the 2026 Raptors playoff run, Brandon Ingram was predicted to have a chip on his shoulder, as one might expect. Even though Scottie Barnes remains the foundation, the Raptors made no effort to sign BI simply for him to be average. He had to be extraordinary. His regular season sample size, in my opinion, demonstrated that. With his co-star Scottie Barnes by his side, Brandon Ingram was the face of this Raptors team as he made his return to All-Star status.
But so far in their first-round series against Cleveland, BI hasn’t been the game-changer that they were hoping for. Ingram’s Game 1 performance was unremarkable, but his Game 2 performance was really bad, sending out warning signals throughout the Raptors community.
Given that Game 3 is a must-win performance for Toronto in front of their home crowd, it’s understandable that the Raptors’ administration has a lot of queries to answer before this crucial contest. Right there alongside the crucial conversation about Jakob Poeltl, the talks concerning Brandon Ingram were just one of the issues that needed to be brought up.
In light of what has occurred in the most recent sample, Darko Rajakovic provided a passionate perspective and shared an honest truth about BI to reporters after practice on April 22.
Brandon Ingram’s talent is still believed in by Darko Rajakovic, even in the face of playoff challenges.
In response, the Raptors’ head coach gave this impassioned speech: After spending over a year with Brandon, he is now so focused on winning. He wishes to play according to his own rules. His intention is to support his teammates. He has a desire to triumph. He was the Eastern Conference Player of the Week a week ago. He is the greatest in the world. Everybody’s kissing him and telling him things like, “You know, you’re the best in the world. ” People are now attempting to manufacture a narrative that doesn’t exist. He’s putting a lot of effort into it. He’s attempting to assist his colleagues. We’ve seen it countless times this year—that he recovers from poor shooting performances very quickly. We support BI. The entire team supports BI. With this man, I’m ready to fight in a war any day or week.
In my opinion, Brandon Ingram should be held responsible whenever he fails to perform as expected. I can also empathize with Coach Rajakovic in this case because he rightly points out that Ingram has experienced moments during the season when he has faltered but then recovered to become a crucial component of the team’s success. I acknowledge that he hasn’t been that guy thus far, but given his position as the leader of this Raptors effort, it’s understandable that Rajakovic doesn’t seem to be giving up so quickly.
Furthermore, just before the season ended, that Eastern Conference Player of the Week award was a really useful praise that helped BI refute his detractors. However, when the current sample doesn’t quite meet that standard, we can’t simply point to past achievements. Remember that in the playoffs, you are held to a higher standard of accountability and responsibility by both your teammates and the fans. The equation is straightforward: either you show up or you don’t.
Following a 0-2 start, reminding everyone in the Raptors world of who Brandon Ingram is and what he can be at his best was precisely what some people needed to hear. For the time being, however, let’s put aside the feel-good discussion. When his team is relying on him the most, will the real Brandon Ingram show up in Game 3? We will learn the truth very soon.
