Toronto Raptors guard Scottie Barnes goes up to make a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

One stat points to why Raptors are winning

Originally posted on Toronto Raptors on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Nov 26, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Toronto Raptors are one of the hottest teams in the NBA for many reasons, but one in particular really stands out.

The Raptors are allowing only 32.3 per cent of their opponent's 3-point shots to fall, which makes them the third-best defence in the NBA in that category. Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic explains how important it is for the team to defend the 3-point shot well.

“If you remember the Houston Rockets a couple years ago, when they were, like, everything at the rim or 3s, you’d go into the game and tell your guys, ‘You’ve got to take away those 3s.’ And still they take 50 3s in a game,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said via The Athletic insider Eric Koreen.

“But the quality of the shot, if those shots are going to be contested or not, how you’re going to contest those shots, if you’re going to contest them on their side, on their shooting hand, all of those things have a factor or shooting percentage.”

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Raptors defend 3-point shot well

The Raptors are also very much lucky with all of these shots missing, which has been part of their winning streak. Every stretch of winning that goes this long has to have some form of luck, but there is a lot of skill that is also laced into all of it.

It isn't a coincidence that the Raptors keep winning. They are making the right plays, sinking the right shots and defending the right way, giving them a chance to climb up the Eastern Conference standings.

It remains to be seen how long the Raptors can keep this up, but the better defence the team plays, the more likely it will be for the streak to continue. However, tougher games lie ahead for the Raptors.

"They have played just two games against the teams with the six best records (Detroit, Oklahoma City, Denver, the Lakers, San Antonio and Houston) and lost them both decisively," Koreen wrote.

"They will play those teams at least 11 more times, and possibly more if they match up against the Pistons in the NBA Cup. ... In other words, the Raptors’ toughest games are yet to come."

The Raptors are back in action tonight as they take on the Indiana Pacers. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET inside Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.