Brandon Ingram and the Toronto Raptors continued their early-season surge on Monday, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-99 at home to secure their 8th straight win.
After delivering a season-best scoring performance, the star wing offered telling insight on his initial experience as Toronto’s primary scoring option, while subtly throwing shade at his former team, the New Orleans Pelicans.
Brandon Ingram Discreetly Disses Pelicans, Reveals Raptors’ Formula for Success
Ingram finished with a game-high 37 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and five 3-pointers, shooting an efficient 15-for-30 (50%). The one-time All-Star scored 15 of his points in the third quarter as Toronto outscored Cleveland 31-22 to build a 12-point cushion entering the final frame (88-76), which it never relinquished.
No other player from either side exceeded 18 points, with Cavaliers star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell mustering 17 points on just 6-for-20 shooting (30%), putting the spotlight firmly on Ingram.
During his postgame interview, Ingram touched on his newfound durability after matching last season’s games played total (18). The 28-year-old has yet to miss a contest this season, aiding his seamless transition up North.
“To God be the glory. I’m healthy, and that’s all I can ask for,” Ingram said postgame. “He’s blessed me with some gifts that a lot of people don’t have, and I just go out here and try to put it on display every single night.”
Brandon Ingram on the Toronto Raptors:
“I’m happy to be with a group of guys that care about the game of basketball, and care about winning. It’s been fun to be out here.”@ashahahmadi pic.twitter.com/q9m8A72k1z
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) November 25, 2025
Ingram then lauded his team’s mindset while indirectly calling out New Orleans, which dealt him away for a modest return at last year’s trade deadline.
“I’m happy to be with a group of guys that care about the game of basketball and care about winning. … It’s been fun to be out here,” Ingram shared.
Ingram’s health was a constant question mark throughout his six-year Pelicans stint. However, the injury-plagued organization also struggled to field a competitive roster around him, resulting in just two playoff appearances and zero series victories.
Conversely, the Raptors have largely stayed healthy this season, thriving thanks to their depth, active defense, and coach Darko Rajaković’s ball movement-heavy offensive system.
After sweeping Cleveland 3-0 in their season series, Toronto (13-5) further cemented itself as a threat in the wide-open Eastern Conference, something Ingram credits to his squad’s perseverance.
“We’re resilient. When we get down, we’re able to fight back, and we just keep going,” Ingram concluded. “Our mentality every quarter is 0-0, and we go on the floor, we play hard on the defensive end, we share the basketball on the offensive end, [and] we get the best results.”
The Raptors will look to extend their improbable winning streak to nine games during Wednesday’s home clash against the struggling Indiana Pacers (2-15).
