After an absence of nearly a month, Jakob Poeltl is set to make his comeback for the Toronto Raptors, providing a much-needed boost to the team. The starting center had been sidelined due to a left ankle sprain incurred on January 7 when he inadvertently stepped on Pascal Siakam’s foot.
The Raptors struggled in his absence, losing nine of their last 11 games. However, Poeltl has now been upgraded from questionable to available, marking his return to the court. Additionally, Immanuel Quickley, who had been sidelined for three consecutive games with a right thigh contusion, has also been given the green light to play.
Raptors coach Darko Rajaković confirmed the positive updates on both players during a press conference in Houston. The return of Poeltl is expected to bolster Toronto’s defensive capabilities, particularly in the paint where they have faced challenges in his absence. The team’s rebounding performance suffered significantly without Poeltl, contributing to their defensive struggles in the past 11 games.
While Poeltl and Quickley make their return, RJ Barrett remains sidelined due to left knee swelling, missing his third consecutive game. Thad Young is anticipated to continue seeing significant minutes as a backup big man for Toronto in the absence of Jontay Porter, who has been ruled out due to back spasms.
With Quickley’s return, Scottie Barnes will resume his traditional forward position after temporarily taking on the role of Toronto’s lead point guard in Quickley’s absence. On the other side, Alperen Sengun is set to play for the Houston Rockets, overcoming an earlier questionable status due to an illness.
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