Jakob Poeltl out for Raptors vs. Celtics but RJ Barrett improving

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) go for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

TORONTO — Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic and Toronto’s training staff are closely monitoring two injured players.

Starting centre Jakob Poeltl missed the Raptors’ game against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night while Canadian swingman RJ Barrett continued to improve. Rajakovic said that Poeltl was considered day-to-day as Toronto figured out how to manage his lower back soreness.

“He has some pain that comes and goes, and it’s pretty unpredictable,” Rajakovic said in his pre-game news conference. “He goes in the game, and he’s great in the game, and he might wake up the next morning and be feeling good or not feeling good.

“Same thing with practice. So we have a long-term plan for him, which consists of managing this injury, which consists of building his strength, which consists of him playing through certain levels of discomfort. Long term we are not concerned at all.”

Poeltl is averaging 10.1 points, eight rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

The 30-year-old had been resting in one game of all of the Raptors’ back-to-back games so far this season. Toronto visits the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

However, Poeltl also sat out the Raptors’ 111-105 win in Milwaukee on Thursday, meaning he will have at least five days of rest.

“It’s just something that we are dealing with in the middle of the season,” said Rajakovic. “If we were in the off-season and you shut him down for two weeks, he would be completely fine, but it’s something we’re really trying to manage day to day.”

Barrett has been out with a sprained right knee since injuring himself in a game against Brooklyn on Nov. 23. He was averaging 19.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game before he got hurt.

Toronto announced Monday that Barrett, from Mississauga, Ont., would begin return-to-play activities this week after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection.

Rajakovic said on Saturday that Barrett is ramping up his activities.

“He’s reacting really well to the treatments and his PRP injection,” said Rajakovic “He was going full court running (yesterday) but he still did not do live contact.

“That’s coming in the next days, playing against coaches, against some contact, and playing live in practice, against teammates or our video guys. After playgroup, we’re going to clear him, and he’s going to be available.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2025.