TORONTO, April 13, 2026

The Toronto Raptors clinched their first NBA playoff spot since 2022 with a dominant 136-101 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, propelled by Austrian center Jakob Pöltl’s all-around performance and a historic rebounding milestone.

## Pöltl’s Key Role in Playoff Push Pöltl, the 30-year-old Vienna native, delivered 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in just over 19 minutes of play. His contributions were pivotal as the Raptors locked down the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, aided by the Atlanta Hawks’ simultaneous 117-143 loss to the Miami Heat. The win capped a strong regular-season finish for Toronto, which now prepares for a first-round showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Reflecting on the game, Pöltl acknowledged the challenges: *"Es war auf keinen Fall ein leichter Sieg. Wir haben uns streckenweise recht schwergetan"* ("It was by no means an easy win. We struggled at times"). Teammate Scottie Barnes shone with a triple-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, while RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram added 26 points each.

## Rebounding Milestone and Team Growth Pöltl’s five rebounds against Brooklyn pushed his career total with the Raptors to 2,094, surpassing franchise legend Vince Carter (2,091) and edging closer to Andrea Bargnani’s 2,095. *"Das sei für ihn persönlich eine 'coole Sache'"* ("That’s a 'cool thing' for him personally"), he said, while emphasizing the team’s progress: *"Im selben Atemzug hob Pöltl das Team hervor, das 'dieses Jahr einen großen Schritt nach vorne gemacht' habe"* ("In the same breath, Pöltl highlighted the team, which 'took a big step forward this year'").

The Raptors’ playoff berth marks Pöltl’s first postseason appearance since 2019 with the San Antonio Spurs. Their opening "best of seven" series against Cleveland will begin with two road games on the shores of Lake Erie. Pöltl cautioned that the Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell and newly acquired James Harden, have evolved significantly since their last meeting: *"Pöltl verwies darauf, dass sich das Team der Cavaliers seit den für Toronto siegreichen Duellen im vergangenen Herbst 'doch sehr stark verändert' habe"* ("Pöltl noted that the Cavaliers’ team has 'changed very significantly' since Toronto’s wins last fall").

## Around the NBA Elsewhere in the league, the Denver Nuggets extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 128-118 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA’s top regular-season team, closed their campaign with a 103-135 loss to the Phoenix Suns, finishing with a league-best 64-18 record.

As the Raptors gear up for their playoff return, Pöltl summed up the challenge ahead: *"Das Wiedersehen in der ersten Play-off-Runde werde 'auf jeden Fall eine Challenge sein'"* ("The reunion in the first playoff round will 'definitely be a challenge'").