At 23-51, the Toronto Raptors are not making the playoffs in 2023-24. The team is currently 12th in the Eastern Conference with eight games left. Toronto showed clear signs of tanking with the trades they’ve made. Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby were both traded to contenders in the East.
With first-year head coach Darko Rajakovic, the Raptors have been struggling. The team is on a 13-game losing streak, currently the longest in the NBA. Toronto has been without the services of Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett. Both players have been out due to deaths in their family. However, Quickley and Barrett are finally expected to make their returns tonight vs. the Lakers. A huge boost to the Raptors’ starting lineup.
Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett are expected to return on Tuesday vs. the Lakers
Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett are back with the Raptors ❤️
(h/t @GTJGotNext ) pic.twitter.com/LWaOMYVc4M
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 26, 2024
For the last nine games, the Raptors have been without staring SF R.J. Barrett. Sadly, his younger brother Nathan passed away and Barrett has been away from the team ever since. The 2023-24 season has been a rollercoaster ride for the 22-year-old. He was traded from the team that drafted him back in 2019. On top of that, he lost his younger brother Nathan. The only real positive in all this for Barrett was being traded to the Raptors and being closer to home. Barrett was born in Toronto and it’s been a homecoming for him.
Tonight, Barrett will return to the starting lineup for the Raptors. In 27 games with Toronto, Barrett is averaging (20.8) points, (6.2) rebounds, and (4.0) assists per game. Getting Barrett back vs. the Lakers is massive for the Raptors. Set to make his return along with Barrett tonight is SG Immanuel Quickley. The 24-year-old has missed Toronto’s last six games in a row due to a death in the family. His uncle Shawn Hamilton passes away.
#Raptors Injury Report
-Ochai Agbaji remains out.
-Gary Trent Jr. (rest) is also out.
-RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are both probable for conditioning purposes after missing time for personal reasons. Both could be limited to around 30 minutes as a result, hope to get…— Fantasy Pipeline NBA (@FP_NBA) April 2, 2024
Quickly and Barrett were both part of the trade that sent O.G. Anunoby to the New York Knicks. In 32 games with the Raptors, Quickely is averaging (17.7) points, (4.7) rebounds, and (6.6) assists per game. The Raptors have been struggling as of late without three of their top players. Scottie Barnes has been out since the beginning of March with a hand injury. On top of that, Quickley and Barrett missed several games for the Raptors. It’s been a forgettable second half of the season for the team.
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