Many fans are undoubtedly eager to see the final stretch and find out where the Raptors will land in the playoff bracket. But even as we await those results, it's hard to argue against this 2025-26 campaign exceeding expectations. Especially when you consider how many mainstream outlets were doubting this Toronto squad prior to and at the start of the year.
Toronto just improved to a 44-35 record after beating Miami in their last game, holding the sixth seed at the moment, but still flirting with the play-in zone as I mentioned earlier. That said, this record represents a huge leap from their previous season marks of 30-52 and 25-57. And while this Raptors core has built its identity around elite ball movement, pushing the pace, transition offense, and playing hounding defense — one area where Toronto has struggled mightily has been from beyond the arc.
They are one of the weaker three-point shooting teams in the NBA, and while browsing my social media feeds, I came across a season stat graphic that highlights just how much the Raptors struggle to convert their three-point attempts, especially in wide-open situations.
Raptors' winning season defies their weak open three-point stats
Here's a variation on the chart I posted yesterday
— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) April 8, 2026
The Nuggets shoot the highest % on wide open 3s, but the Warriors take the most wide open 3s (and the most 3s overall) pic.twitter.com/WbvqloS5f6
I previously mentioned a related metric showing the Raptors in a similar light. There was a list of NBA players this season who are least efficient at converting wide-open three-pointers, and RJ Barrett and Jamal Shead were both on it. This clearly highlights a key issue for Toronto.
However this graphic provides a clearer picture of where the Raptors stand in shooting open looks from deep (as a collective unit), averaging around a 36 percent clip on about 20 open three-point attempts per game. I already wrote about how Barrett and Shead's struggles in that light pass the eye test, and perhaps other key culprits in that regard include Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick.
Though consider some of the other teams on this list, like the Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs. These are elite, powerhouse NBA teams, but they hover around the lower end of the pack in this metric. Yet, they have been able to carve out potential championship success (in the Thunder's case, already doing so) despite their shooting challenges. While Toronto is still a ways behind those teams, their ability to maintain an impressive 44-35 record (and counting) despite struggling with open three-point shooting is truly remarkable.
I'll touch on this in more detail in another piece, but I believe that the ability to hit three-pointers versus not being able to is still a key factor in determining success in high-stakes situations, no matter how good a team is in other categories. It's often the difference between coming out on top and falling victim to a tough blitz. We've already seen countless times this season how opposing teams can exploit the Raptors' lack of shooting, and those moments have hurt them greatly.
While Toronto is able to generate open looks, they just struggle to convert at a consistent clip. Coupled with their strong assist numbers, I think if the Raptors can add reliable shooters in the offseason or if their current roster improves their three-point shooting, it could be the difference between being an average playoff team and becoming a real contender.