The Toronto Raptors have been without one of their best players for the better part of two weeks. They have been without RJ Barrett since November 13, when he played 20 minutes against the Nets. He injured his knee and has been sidelined since.
Barrett has been out with a sprained knee, and it has forced him to miss the last eight games. Even with Barrett out, the Raptors are still fourth in the Eastern Conference standings. They have been able to keep winning games, even without Barrett in the lineup.
Barrett was expected to be ready to go soon. When he was hurt, he was given a timeline of about a week. Unfortunately, Toronto has gotten some bad news regarding his injury status moving forward.
GettyRJ Barrett dribbles the ball. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Raptors to be Without RJ Barrett For At Least Another Week
According to a release from the team, Barrett will be out at least another week with his injury. Barrett received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his knee to help improve the healing process. Without Barrett, the Raptors will not be able to reach their full ceiling as a team.
Right now, the Raptors have the eighth-best defense in the NBA. Part of that is because of what Barrett is able to do on the perimeter. He is able to switch and defend almost every position on the floor, allowing the Raptors to funnel drivers to Jakob Poeltl so he can block shots.
Without Barrett on the floor, their defense becomes much worse. The good news for Toronto is that Brandon Ingram has remained healthy for this season. Ingram has been the best player for the Raptors all season long, as his length allows him to score the ball with ease.
GettyRJ Barrett drives the ball. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Raptors Might Be a True Contender in the East
The Eastern Conference is wide open this season, and that continues to be the case. While Toronto is fourth in the East standings, they are just two games back of the second-seeded New York Knicks. Staying healthy could give them a shot to win the conference.
Barrett’s numbers are down from a year ago across the board. Part of that is because of the addition of Ingram into the lineup. However, his shooting percentage has gone up, indicating that he is more selective with his shots. That better shot selection has helped the team out.
In fact, Barrett has the second-highest true shooting percentage of his career so far this year. Once he gets healthy, the Raptors should be in a better position to secure their spot in the East. Other teams continue to deal with injury issues, as well.
Keeping Ingram healthy while Barrett is out is Toronto’s top priority. Ingram has a massive injury history, and losing him at the same time as Barrett would be disastrous for their chances to truly compete in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors have a real shot to surprise the rest of the NBA.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Raptors Get Disappointing RJ Barrett Injury Update appeared first on Heavy Sports.