‘Tis the season for injuries if you’re the Toronto Raptors.
Now it’s Jakob Poeltl who’s been bit by the injury bug as he’s out for tomorrow's contest against the Brooklyn Nets with a bilateral groin strain, the team told reporters following practice on Wednesday.
The Raptors added that Poeltl is considered day-to-day with the injury.
Poeltl suffered the injury when he took a spill midway through the third quarter of a 122-121 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. The Austrian big man walked gingerly to the Raptors locker room and did not return to the game.
The 29-year-old has been a stabilizing presence for the rebuilding Raptors, averaging career-highs in scoring (15.5 points per game), field goal makes (6.6) and rebounds (11.0) through 26 appearances. His 3.9 offensive rebounds per game leads the NBA.
And it’s no secret that Toronto heavily relies on the seven-footer for his paint scoring, activity on the glass and screen setting. Poeltl played in all but one game for the Raptors so far this season and the team’s net rating is nearly eight points worse with him off the floor through 476 minutes in 2024-25.
Poeltl missed 32 games last season with separate foot and hand injuries, and in that span, Toronto went 4-28.
It’s the latest in a slew of injuries for the Raptors who remain without Immanuel Quickley (elbow) and Bruce Brown Jr. (knee). Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes was upgraded to questionable after missing two games due to an ankle sprain. Toronto has been one of the most undermanned squads all season, their over 100-man games lost to injury/illness are top three in the NBA.
The Raptors core of RJ Barrett, Barnes and Quickley have yet to play together this season and subsequently, neither has the presumed starting five entering the year that includes the “BBQ” trio plus Poeltl and Gradey Dick. Only three players (Davion Mitchell, Ochai Agbaji and Jonathan Mogbo) have played in all 27 games so far.
Toronto returns to action on Thursday, hosting Canadian men’s senior national team head coach Jordi Fernandez and the Nets with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet360 and Sportsnet+.
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