Toronto Raptors vs. Denver Nuggets: Preview, TV Schedule, Injuries, and More
The Raptors visit Denver amid a growing list of injuries.
We’ve had quite the injury report updates so far today. The Raptors were already set to look significantly different from the last time they faced the Denver Nuggets back in December, but now they’re even more depleted.
Of the five Raptors who played 30+ minutes in their overtime loss in Portland on Saturday night, Gradey Dick and Kelly Olynyk are the only two available for tonight’s matchup.
In better news, RJ Barrett will likely return to the lineup after missing Toronto’s last game as a late scratch due to an illness.
More than half of the Raptors' roster (8 of 15 players) now appears on the injury report for tonight's game vs Denver. The latest:
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) March 11, 2024
Quickly: O (hip)
Trent: O (groin)
Boucher: O (knee)
Barnes: O (hand)
Poeltl: O (hand)
Carton: O (ankle)
Barrett: P (illness)
Brown: Q (knee)
Only time will tell us who will actually suit up for the Raptors tonight, as the team is already down to only nine players NOT ruled out, with Bruce Brown still listed as questionable after missing the past four games.
The reigning champions were already going to be a tough out on home court where they’re tied for the second best home record in the league, but now ever more so with most of Toronto’s starters missing the game.
Tonight may be good, however, for those tracking the Raptors’ draft pick odds. Only 1.5 games up on Memphis, the Raptors need their 2024 first round pick to be in the top six picks of the draft in order to keep it and not send it to San Antonio to complete the Jakob Poeltl trade. If the Grizzlies were to pass Toronto to finish the season, their odds to win the first overall pick would increase by 1.5% and their odds to retain their pick would be even higher.
How to Watch:
Sportsnet at 9:00 pm ET
Likely Lineups:
Toronto: Bruce Brown, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk
Denver: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic
Injuries:
Toronto: Scottie Barnes (out — hand), RJ Barrett (probable — illness), Chris Boucher (out — knee), Bruce Brown (questionable — knee), DJ Carton (out — ankle), Jakob Poeltl (out — hand), Immanuel Quickley (out — hip), Gary Trent Jr. (out — groin)
Denver: Vlatko Cancar (out — knee), DeAndre Jordan (questionable — illness)