The Toronto Raptors are suddenly staring at a 0–2 deficit in their first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers after a 115–105 loss in Game 2, and concern is mounting around All-Star wing Brandon Ingram.
Ingram, who led the Raptors in scoring during the regular season, had a quiet showing in Game 1 and later called out head coach Darko Rajaković over his limited scoring opportunities. However, despite seeing more touches in Game 2, Ingram delivered an even more disappointing performance, drawing heavy criticism.
Former NBA Player Leo Rautins Tears Into Brandon Ingram As Raptors Go 0-2
Ingram finished Saturday’s 126-113 Game 1 road letdown with just 17 points. However, perhaps most concerningly, he attempted only 9 shots, and the two-time All-Star voiced his frustration postgame.
“At the end of the day, me shooting nine shots is not going to win basketball games,” Ingram said after explaining that Rajaković intended to utilize him as a “screener” and “receiver.”
Ingram got his wish to an extent in Game 2, attempting 15 field goals. Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, he went 3-for-15 (20%) en route to a disastrous 7-point night, drawing strong criticism from former Canadian basketball player Leo Rautins.
“When the Raptors had Kawhi Leonard, did you ever hear him say, ‘You got to give me the ball’? He never said anything like that in public,” Rautins said. “When you’re an All-Star, you get the ball. You go get it. You make plays.
“If you think about the pressure that he just put on himself under, publicly saying, ‘I need shots.’ You put pressure on a coach. Now, the coach has got to defend what he’s doing out there. Your teammates are answering questions about you, and why you didn’t get shots.”
It almost feels like Ingram set himself up for this situation and then struggled to deliver.
According to NBA statistician Keerthika Uthayakumar, his 23.3 percent true shooting mark was “the worst mark by a player with 15+ FGA in Raptors playoff history, passing DeMar DeRozan’s 24.0 TS% in 2016.”
Ingram finished with more turnovers (five) than made field goals and posted a minus-15 plus-minus, reinforcing the criticism from Rautins.
“You’re trying to win a playoff game! Now you put pressure on everybody, including yourself,” he added. “Then the next game after that, you don’t deliver. You can’t do that. Not when you’re an All-Star, not when this is your job.
“You got to score, and you got to find ways to do it, and not look for excuses on those situations.”
While Toronto still leans heavily on Scottie Barnes for leadership, the team thrives on a balanced attack, making Ingram’s role essential. He needs to respond, particularly by cutting down turnovers and improving efficiency, otherwise it could quickly turn into another difficult chapter in Toronto’s postseason history.
However, it may still be too early for the Raptors to panic. While falling behind 0–2 does create urgency, Ingram remains the same player who led the team in scoring and helped them win 46 games in the regular season.
