Raptors rout the NBA-worst Wizards 106-82 for their 5th straight victory

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scottie Barnes scored 24 points and the Toronto Raptors beat NBA-worst Washington 106-82 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory and the Wizards' 15th loss in a row.

Jakub Poetl added 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists to help the Raptors to their first five-game winning streak since April 1, 2022. They have win seven of eight games.

Toronto allowed its fewest points of the season and forced a season-high 27 turnovers.

Kyle Kuzma had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Washington. The Wizards had their worst scoring and turnover numbers of the season.

Raptors: Toronto began Wednesday 5 1/2 games back of Chicago for the final Eastern Conference play-in spot. The Raptors will play their next four at home.

Wizards: Exceeded their previous season-worst of 21 turnovers before the end of the third quarter, and could share the blame for their sloppiness.

Toronto began the game on a 14-0 run while Washington turned it over three times and missed its first eight shots. Jonas Valanciunas finally scored the Wizards' first points on a putback of his own miss with 6:53 left in the first quarter.

Toronto scored 22 first-half points off 15 Washington turnovers, en route to a 19-point halftime lead.

Toronto hosts Chicago on Friday night. Washington hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

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Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead (23) dribbles the ball as Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

Toronto Raptors forward Bruce Brown (11) dribbles the ball to the hoop against Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell (45) dribbles the ball down the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) pats Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell on the head as he pivots with the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) goes up for a shot against Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers found themselves in a familiar spot.

Monday night's wild-card playoff game against Houston was close through three quarters, but Sheldon Rankins’ 33-yard fumble return for a touchdown allowed the Texans and their top-ranked defense to break it open and beat the Steelers 30-6.

“Certainly a disappointing end to our season,” Tomlin said. “We’ve got to give Houston a lot of credit, in particular their defensive unit. I thought they ruled the day.”

Tomlin and the Steelers lost their seventh straight playoff game. It’s the longest active postseason losing streak in the league, and Tomlin matched Marvin Lewis of the Bengals for the longest playoff skid by an NFL coach.

The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since beating Kansas City in the 2016 divisional round, and whether Tomlin will be back for a 20th season in Pittsburgh is once again an open question — one that Tomlin declined to address in the aftermath of the loss.

“I’m not in the big-picture perspective,” Tomlin said. “I’m just not in that mindset. I don’t think about the totality of it. You pour everything that you have into these performances and what goes on tonight.”

Pittsburgh lost a scheduled Monday night home game for the first time since Oct. 14, 1991, to the New York Giants. The Steelers were unbeaten in their past 23 such games.

Aaron Rodgers threw for 146 yards and the Steelers were limited to 175 yards of total offense. Calen Bullock scored Houston’s second defensive touchdown of the fourth quarter with a 50-yard pick-6 on what may have been the final throw of Rodgers’ 21-year career. The four-time MVP plans to take time before deciding whether to return for another season.

“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said. “I’m disappointed. It was such a fun year. Obviously, a lot of adversity, but a lot of fun.”

The Steelers forced Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud into a number of mistakes throughout the first three quarters. Stroud fumbled five times — he lost two of them — and threw an interception, but the Steelers couldn't manage a single touchdown.

Houston led 10-6 when Will Anderson Jr. sacked Rodgers, and Rankins picked up the ball and returned it to the end zone.

“I didn’t feel like we ever got the momentum on our side, honestly,” Rodgers said. “We had a lot of chances. Defense played really good in the first half. (Houston) has a good defense. But we had a lot of opportunities.”

A week earlier, Rodgers threw for a season-high 294 yards and the Steelers rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Baltimore Ravens and win their eighth AFC North title under Tomlin.

On Monday night, the home crowd booed Tomlin and the Steelers off the field, and chants for his firing could be heard in the final minutes.

“I don’t really care about that noise because they don’t know what (Tomlin) puts into this,” veteran defensive lineman Cam Heyward said. “They don’t know how he goes out of his way to prepare every man. They don’t know about the countless nights he is in there studying film. Coaches can only do so much. Players have to play better and in those critical moments, they have to step up.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) leaves the field after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Houston Texans, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reacts after a Houston Texans touchdown during the second half of NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)