Drake may not have been courtside for the Toronto Raptors’ long-awaited home playoff return, but he still found a way to steal some attention. The OVO boss once again used his now-signature iced-out courtside seat stunt to tease his upcoming album ICEMAN, which is rumored to drop on May 15.
While fans were expecting to see Drake in the building, his recent promotional run explains the absence. From eye-catching stunts to a massive ice installation in Toronto, he’s clearly locked in on rollout mode. Even without physically attending, his presence was still felt.
On the court, the Raptors didn’t need their global ambassador to secure a win. Led by strong performances from Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, Toronto dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 126-104 victory. The energized home crowd played a major role as well, helping fuel the team to cut the series deficit to 1-2 in this best-of-seven matchup.
Game 4 is set to take place again at Scotiabank Arena on April 26, where the Raptors will look to even the series.
Elsewhere around the league, the Atlanta Hawks edged out the New York Knicks in another close battle. CJ McCollum delivered the clutch moment with a go-ahead jumper in the final seconds, giving Atlanta a surprising 2-1 series lead.
Out West, the Minnesota Timberwolves put together a dominant defensive performance against the Denver Nuggets. They managed to contain Nikola Jokic, who struggled mightily with an inefficient shooting night. Minnesota now holds a 2-1 advantage heading into Game 4.
Across the rest of the playoff picture, the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic are tied 1-1, while the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are also even. The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Phoenix Suns 2-0, and the Los Angeles Lakers hold a 2-0 edge over the Houston Rockets. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers remain locked, with Victor Wembanyama potentially sidelined due to a concussion.
Even without showing up in person, Drake managed to keep both music and sports fans talking—proving once again that his influence stretches far beyond the stage.
