The Toronto Raptors are inching nearer to being completely wholesome, simply days earlier than their dwelling opener.
Canadian swingman RJ Barrett was upgraded to day-to-day and engaged in non-contact practise on Monday, two days earlier than Toronto hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Area. As soon as Barrett is wholesome, he’ll instantly slot into the Raptors’ beginning lineup.
“It’s robust, particularly for a staff like us,” mentioned centre Jakob Poeltl, who missed the ultimate 32 video games of final season after he had surgical procedure to restore his left pinky finger. “We haven’t performed collectively for very lengthy, just like the starters performed just a little bit collectively final 12 months,
“We’ve obtained so many new faces, the extra follow and video games we will get in collectively, the higher.”
Barrett, from Mississauga, Ont., has been out with a sprained shoulder for the reason that Raptors’ first pre-season sport on Oct. 6. Rookie combo guard Ja’Kobe Walter, who missed the whole pre-season, can also be out with a sprained shoulder.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic mentioned Walter additionally practised on Monday, however the nineteenth total choose in final summer time’s NBA Draft is taken into account week-to-week.
Veteran ahead Bruce Brown (arthroscopic knee surgical procedure) was lively on Monday, doing capturing drills with teaching workers at OVO Athletic Centre. Kelly Olynyk (again) of Kamloops, B.C., didn’t take part.
“It hurts us that we have now a couple of guys out, however I’d moderately have it occur now than throughout the common season,” mentioned Poeltl. “So let’s hope everyone stays wholesome for the remainder of the season.”
Barrett’s upgraded standing got here days after level guard Immanuel Quickley returned to Toronto’s beginning lineup on Friday in Brooklyn after he missed the primary 4 pre-season video games with a sprained thumb.
“We missed him out throughout the pre-season,” mentioned Poeltl of Quickley. “He’s our offensive ground common. He areas the ground rather well.
“(We) labored loads within the summertime on our little two-man sport, so it’s too dangerous we didn’t get to attempt it within the pre-season. We’re going to should go all-in with it within the common season.”
Toronto completed the pre-season with a 3-2 file, together with spectacular wins over the NBA champion Boston Celtics and Brooklyn final week to shut out the exhibition interval.
The Raptors averaged 113.2 factors per sport within the pre-season, tenth greatest within the NBA. That they had a league-best 31.4 assists per sport, and have been sixth-best with 48.6 rebounds per sport. All three stats are enhancements on the numbers from final season’s disappointing 25-57 marketing campaign.
However these stats — and any exhibition numbers — ought to be taken with a grain of salt.
Key Toronto gamers like Scottie Barnes, Barrett, Quickley, Brown, and Olynyk missed some or the entire pre-season, and the identical might be mentioned for his or her opponents. Rajakovic was pragmatic in regards to the raft of accidents, suggesting that the Raptors didn’t rush anybody again.
“We’ve obtained to take the method one sport at a time and actually be targeted on that subsequent day and subsequent follow and subsequent staff,” he mentioned. “We’re trying on the long-term curiosity of the staff and long-term curiosity of the gamers.
“We wish gamers to be wholesome and accessible for a future, not simply essentially for one sport or the opposite.”
MONSTER MASH — After Toronto’s 116-112 victory in Brooklyn to shut out the pre-season the Raptors took the weekend off. That gave them the time to have the staff’s annual Halloween get together. The consensus was that know-how lead Brandon Moita’s Darth Maul costume stole the present.
“We had an amazing get together. Guys had numerous enjoyable. It was one other nice occasion for everyone to come back collectively,” mentioned Rajakovic, who dressed as Peaky Blinders chief Thomas Shelby. ” (Moita) had the very best costume. It was actually spectacular.”
