Jakob

Poeltl

Due to left shoulder bursitis, Poeltl is a late scratch for Sunday’s game. Trayce Jackson-Davis will replace him in the starting lineup, but Poeltl’s absence will likely give Collin Murray-Boyles more playing time as well.

Poeltl has overall been very underwhelming this season, but he had a very good performance tonight against the Magic. While Poeltl is on the decline, he can still put up numbers at times. The Raptors continue to start him which shows a vote of confidence in him. He’s worth a stream if you need rebounds, but he’s not worth an add in most redraft formats.

Kawhi Leonard is out with knee soreness, so Ja’Kobe Walter will get the start against the Magic. He’s useful if you need some points and 3’s but he likely will not be much more than a deeper league guy. Look for Barnes, Quickley, and Barrett to pick up the slack without Kawhi.

Four Raptors starters scored at least 20 points on Wednesday, with Poeltl (unsurprisingly) taking the hit. The 7-footer took only one shot, and low-attempt games will likely be the norm this season. Also, Collin Murray-Boyles (6/8/3/1/1) played 20 minutes off the bench, while Poeltl played 22. The two shared the court for three minutes during the first quarter, but that was it. If Poeltl and CMB split minutes evenly as the season progresses, the former may not be worth rostering in 12-team leagues.

What a difference a year makes for Poeltl, who was sidelined last preseason by a lower back issue. That lingering injury limited him to 46 games last season, eliminating most of the 7-footer’s fantasy value. Poeltl is healthy this preseason, and he logged 18 minutes in Saturday’s opener. He made changes to his regimen this offseason, and the hope is that this will pay dividends during the regular season. Poeltl has been a top-75 fantasy player in the past, and he offers a solid floor if he stays healthy.

Murray-Boyles continues to come off the bench, but the rookie played starters’ minutes in Game 6. He logged 40 minutes on Friday, with the final stat line lacking only a three-pointer. Meanwhile, starting center Jakob Poeltl (2/4/1/2/1) logged 22 minutes as he continues to offer limited value in this matchup. Murray-Boyles should take on a similar workload in Game 7, and it’s easy to see why dynasty managers are so excited about his long-term fantasy potential.

Effective in 20 minutes in Game 1, Murray-Boyles played 26 minutes in Game 2. And the rookie replaced Jakob Poeltl (two points, four rebounds and one assist) in the lineup to begin the third quarter, with the veteran center not playing at all after halftime. While there is a need for Poeltl’s size, he was ineffective in Toronto’s first two games. We should see a lot more of Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili (12/10/2/1 with one three-pointer) in Thursday’s Game 3 as the Raptors look to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole.

With Jakob Poeltl (4/3/1/1) struggling in his 19 minutes, especially defensively, and Collin Murray-Boyles unavailable, Mamukelashvili’s playing time increased on Friday. The Raptors’ forward/center logged 25 minutes off the bench and led the team in scoring. Add in the rebounds and assists, and this was a productive night at the office for Mamu. With Friday’s defeat, the Raptors will have work to do on Sunday to secure a top-6 seed in the East and avoid the Play-In Tournament.

CMB is dealing with a neck strain, while TJD is still recovering from an illness. Jakob Poeltl is not on Toronto’s injury report, so he should handle the majority of frontcourt minutes, with Sandro Mamukelashvili backing him up.

Poeltl has scored in double figures in seven of his last eight appearances, providing more consistent production as he gets further removed from the time missed with a back injury. Add in Sandro Mamukelasvhili (11/5/1 with two three-pointers) and Collin Murray-Boyles (6/8/1/1/2), and the Raptors received positive contributions from their top three options on the interior.