October 23, 2026 | EST NBA Recap
The Toronto Raptors are off to a perfect 2–0 start after defeating the Washington Wizards 112–102 on Friday night.
Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 28 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, while RJ Barrett added 23 points and nine rebounds.
The Raptors weren’t particularly impressive from beyond the arc, shooting just 21% from three, but they made up for it with strong defense, excellent rebounding and an aggressive approach inside.
Toronto also held Anthony Davis to just nine points, an impressive defensive performance considering he scored 34 against Milwaukee in Washington’s season opener.
First Quarter: Raptors Set the Tone Early
Toronto wasted little time establishing control.
The Raptors opened the game aggressively, with Jakob Poeltl finishing a reverse layup off a Barnes assist and Immanuel Quickley attacking the basket for a floater.
RJ Barrett also made his presence felt defensively, drawing an offensive foul on Kyshawn George and blocking an Anthony Davis layup attempt.
Washington struggled to establish a consistent offensive rhythm, while Toronto continued finding ways to score.
By the end of the opening quarter, the Raptors had built a 34–21 lead.
It was exactly the kind of start Toronto wanted after its dominant season-opening victory over Chicago.
Second Quarter: Washington Starts Fighting Back
The Wizards weren’t going away quietly.
Washington outscored Toronto 31–26 in the second quarter, getting several important contributions from Anthony Davis and Trae Young.
Davis connected with Alex Sarr for an alley-oop dunk late in the quarter, cutting Toronto’s lead to 57–48. He also scored on a running layup earlier in the period.
Young repeatedly attacked Toronto’s defense and earned trips to the free-throw line, helping Washington reduce the deficit.
However, Toronto continued answering.
Ja’Kobe Walter knocked down a three-pointer off a Barnes assist, while Kawhi Leonard scored on consecutive drives during the middle of the quarter.
Barnes also converted a driving layup to keep Washington from getting too close.
Despite the Wizards’ improved offensive performance, Toronto entered halftime leading 60–52.
Third Quarter: Washington Makes It Interesting
The Wizards continued their comeback attempt after halftime.
Tre Johnson knocked down a three-pointer to cut Toronto’s lead to 68–64, bringing Washington within four points.
Barrett answered with a running dunk off a Barnes assist, giving Toronto some breathing room.
Later in the quarter, Barnes threw down a dunk of his own after receiving a pass from Jamal Shead.
But Washington kept coming.
Young drilled a step-back three, and Justin Champagnie provided a spark with a putback layup, a cutting finish and an alley-oop layup assisted by Young.
With 35 seconds remaining, Johnson made two free throws to cut Toronto’s lead to just 78–77.
Suddenly, a game Toronto had controlled early was nearly tied.
Then came an important shot.
Jamison Battle knocked down a three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining, giving the Raptors an 81–77 advantage heading into the fourth.
Toronto needed that basket badly.
Fourth Quarter: Scottie Barnes Takes Over
With Washington within striking distance, Toronto needed someone to take control.
Scottie Barnes answered.
After Young made two free throws early in the fourth, Leonard knocked down a three-pointer to extend Toronto’s lead to 86–79.
Barnes then hit consecutive pull-up jumpers, pushing the Raptors ahead 90–83 with just over nine minutes remaining.
Those baskets were important because Washington had spent much of the previous two quarters chipping away at Toronto’s lead.
The Raptors continued to find enough offense to keep the Wizards from completing their comeback.
Toronto outscored Washington 31–25 in the fourth quarter, closing out a 112–102 victory.
Barnes finished with 28 points and 14 rebounds, leading the Raptors to their second straight win.
EST Takeaways
1. Toronto’s Defense Looks Legitimate
Two games into the season, Toronto’s defense is giving opponents serious problems.
Against Chicago, the Raptors allowed just 92 points in a 135–92 victory.
Against Washington, they held Anthony Davis to nine points on 3-of-12 shooting.
That’s the same Davis who scored 34 points against Milwaukee in the Wizards’ season opener.
Going from 34 points to nine is a massive difference, and Toronto deserves credit for making his night difficult.
The Raptors also forced 23 turnovers and recorded 12 steals and six blocks.
With Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes and several other capable defenders, Toronto has the personnel to make life difficult for opposing offenses.
It’s only two games, but the defensive potential is obvious.
2. Scottie Barnes Is Leading the Way
Barnes was Toronto’s best player tonight, finishing with 28 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.
What stood out was his ability to make important plays when Washington started gaining momentum.
He attacked the basket, helped create opportunities for teammates and hit consecutive jumpers early in the fourth quarter.
If Toronto wants to compete with the Eastern Conference’s best teams, this is the version of Barnes it needs consistently.
3. Toronto Dominated the Paint and Offensive Glass
The Raptors shot just 7-of-33 from three-point range.
Normally, shooting 21% from deep would be a recipe for disaster.
Instead, Toronto scored 52 points in the paint compared with Washington’s 32.
The Raptors also grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, while the Wizards managed only six.
Those extra possessions were extremely valuable in a game where Toronto struggled to make outside shots.
Barrett deserves recognition here as well, finishing with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
4. Washington’s Turnovers Were Costly
The Wizards committed 23 turnovers, six more than Toronto.
That simply isn’t good enough in a competitive game.
Young did his part offensively, finishing with 22 points and 12 assists, while Tre Johnson added 20 points off the bench.
Washington also shot better from three and got to the free-throw line more frequently.
But the turnovers, rebounding struggles and inability to contain Barnes ultimately cost the Wizards.
5. Toronto Still Has to Improve Its Three-Point Shooting
The Raptors won despite shooting just 21% from three.
Quickley went 0-of-6 from beyond the arc, while Leonard made just two of his eight attempts.
Toronto won’t be able to rely on dominating the paint and offensive glass every night.
The defense has looked excellent through two games, but the offense needs more consistency from the perimeter.
Final Thoughts
Toronto is 2–0, and there’s plenty to like about what we’ve seen so far.
The Raptors dominated Chicago in their opener before showing they could grind out a win against Washington despite poor outside shooting.
Most importantly, the defense looks capable of being a real strength.
Holding Anthony Davis to nine points after his 34-point season opener is no small accomplishment.
Barnes continues to look like the team’s leader, Barrett has provided reliable scoring, and Toronto is finding ways to win without depending entirely on three-point shooting.
There are still improvements to make, but this is an encouraging start for the Raptors.
Final Score: Toronto Raptors 112, Washington Wizards 102.
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