The Toronto Raptors are just a day away from kicking off their 2025-26 NBA season with a road game against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday evening. The Raptors are hoping for a bounce back year out of Scottie Barnes, who regressed a bit in 2024-25 and saw his team miss out on the postseason altogether.

Recently, the Raptors watched their crosstown neighbors, the MLB's Toronto Blue Jays, knock off the Seattle Mariners in Game 7 of the ALCS in order to make it to the World Series, where they will face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning on Friday evening.

Barnes and some of his Raptors teammates were in attendance for the series' deciding game on Monday evening, and after the win became final, Barnes recorded a video of himself screaming at the top of his lungs from his seat.

“Let's go Blue Jays, World Series baby! Let's get it,” said Barnes, via the Raptors' official team account on X, formerly Twitter.

Joining Barnes in the box seats was Raptors guard Gradey Dick, who is entering his third year in the NBA and hoping to build off some of the progress he made a season ago.

Can the Raptors compete?

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Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) warms up before playing the Charlotte Hornets at Scotiabank Arena
Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Raptors aren't viewed by many as a legitimate contender heading into this season, but many pundits to predict them to at least take a slight step up this year.

At last year's trade deadline, the Raptors acquired forward Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans, although he was unable to appear in a game as he recovered from injury. However, he has signed an extension with the team and, assuming health, should be a key halfcourt offensive weapon for a Toronto team that was sorely lacking in that department a year ago.

If Ingram can stay on the court and Barnes can continue his ascension, it's not outside the realm of possibility that the Raptors at least compete for a play-in spot this year considering the current weak state of the Eastern Conference.

Toronto and Atlanta are set to tip off on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET.