The Toronto Raptors head into Monday night at 3-3, and the injury news around them is doing plenty of the talking before they ever get to the floor. Kawhi Leonard, who has missed the last several games with a knee issue, will not suit up against the Los Angeles Clippers in what would have been his return game on the road.
The Raptors’ report is crowded. Scottie Barnes is questionable with a left hip issue, while Jakob Poeltl is also questionable after sitting out Sunday with left shoulder bursitis. Max Strus is available after missing exactly four weeks, and Derrick Jones Jr. is out with a right knee injury.
“The Toronto Raptors list Kawhi Leonard (knee injury management) as out for tonight at LA. Scottie Barnes (left hip) is questionable.
Jakob Poeltl, out last night due to left shoulder bursitis, also questionable. Max Strus (foot) is available, exactly 4 weeks after the team said he'd be out that amount of time.
Derrick Jones Jr. (right knee) is out,” reported Law Murray of The Athletic on X, formerly Twitter.
Both teams are working on the second night of a back-to-back. Toronto dropped Sunday night’s game to the Los Angeles Lakers, while the Clippers came up short against the Stephen Curry-less Golden State Warriors.
The Clippers have just one win so far this season, which gives the Raptors a clear opening if they can handle their own injury concerns. Barnes, in particular, looms large if Toronto wants its best shot at a road win.
Tipoff is set for Monday at 10:00 pm ET from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
In Other News...
Gradey Dick Is Still Feeling The Raptors Trade Reality
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The matchup carried a little extra weight because Brandon Ingram, another piece of the trade, was on the Clippers bench while recovering from injury. For Toronto fans, it was another reminder that the deal is still unfolding in real time, with former faces now scattered and the emotional residue of the move lingering even as both sides move on. Dick may be settling into his new uniform, but the first few meetings with his old team have made clear this one is going to take some getting used to. [Read more 🡒]
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For Toronto, that lens matters because the franchise has lived through the difference between regular-season competence and playoff readiness. Cleveland is dealing with its own version of that test, with questions about blown leads, toughness and whether Evan Mobleys growth can help anchor a team that still has to prove it can absorb adversity. The Cavaliers may keep stacking wins over the long haul, but the real debate is whether they can survive the kind of heat the postseason tends to bring. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Road Comeback Solved One Problem But Exposed Another
The Raptors win over the Clippers offered a useful snapshot of where this group is right now: resilient enough to rally from a double-digit hole in the fourth quarter, but still uneven enough to put itself in that position in the first place. Toronto finished off a 125-118 road victory without Kawhi Leonard and Jakob Poeltl, leaning on Collin Murray-Boyles in a small-ball role at center and getting key defensive work from Scottie Barnes when the game tightened.
Still, the comeback did not erase the issue that created the pressure to begin with. Toronto has made it clear it wants cleaner starts in the games ahead, and that concern will be tested quickly with Denver next on the schedule. The Raptors can take plenty from the way they closed against the Clippers, but they also know they cannot keep asking for late-game rescue acts and expect the same result every night. [Read more 🡒]