Toronto Raptors DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca, Toronto Raptors forwardRJ Barrett (illness) will be unavailable to suit up versus the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday due to an illness. Barrett hasn't missed a game since October 26th and was a late add-on to Thursday's injury report. While the 24-year-old is sidelined, Jamison Battle and Ja'Kobe Walter will likely see an uptick in minutes. His next opportunity to play will come against the Houston Rockets on Sunday.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward Scottie Barnes (ankle) might return to action on Thursday against Brooklyn, with the team listing him as questionable for the game. He suffered a nasty ankle sprain against the Knicks last week, but it looks like Barnes could end up missing just two contests because of the injury. It's been an injury-hit campaign for the 2024 All-Star, as Barnes has been limited to 14 outings. He's averaging 20.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.3 steals. Brooklyn has the fourth-worst defensive rating in the league, so Barnes should do plenty of damage if he's cleared to return on Thursday.

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (groin) was limited to 22 minutes in Monday's 122-121 loss to Chicago. The big man from Austria suffered a left groin injury when he slipped on the floor early in the fourth quarter. Poeltl finished the night with six points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal. The 29-year-old has been a walking double-double in 2024-25 and will be a big miss for Toronto if Poeltl has to sit out additional action. If that's the case, Jonathan Mogbo, Kelly Olynyk, and Chris Boucher will take care of his minutes. Boucher had the best game of the three on Monday with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (ankle) practiced again on Monday morning, one day after it was reported he went through a "light workout" on Sunday, which involved running and jumping. The 23-year-old sprained his ankle in a matchup with the New York Knicks on December 9 and has been working his way back since. But things seem to be moving in a favorable direction, with head coach Darko Rajakovic hoping to increase Barnes activity level during the week. With a lightened schedule due to the NBA Cup, Barnes may not miss as much time. However, until he's ready to get back on the floor, rookie Jonathan Mogbo, averaging 7.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 1.0 steals in two starts this season, should continue to fill the void in the lineup.

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (ankle) participated in Sunday's practice. While he wasn't a full participant, he still did some running and jumping with his assistant coaches. The 23-year-old sprained his ankle during a recent meeting with the Knicks on December 9 and has already missed a game. Although Barnes will be sidelined for a few more contests at the very least, his partial availability for Sunday's practice is a positive step in the right direction. In the meantime, RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick should see a bump in scoring opportunities, with Ochai Agbaji also in line for added production.