Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett, out for two weeks with a knee injury, received a platelet-rich plasma injection and will be out for at least one more week, the team announced Monday.
Barrett has been out since Nov. 23 with a sprained right knee. He scored 16 points in 20 minutes in this match before leaving the field with an injury.
In 17 games this season, the Toronto native has averaged 19.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
The Raptors appear to be a completely different team with Barrett on the court this season: In the 17 games played by the former third overall draft pick, the Raptors recorded 12 wins against 5 losses.
Since losing him to a knee injury, the Raptors have gone 3-5 in eight games, including just one win in their last six games.
“It’s not easy to get used to playing without someone who averages 20 points and is a real pillar of our offense,” Toronto guard Jamal Shead said after the Raptors’ 121-113 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday. “Getting used to trying to bring other players up, I think we can do that. We just haven’t found the solution yet. »
The next test for Toronto is Tuesday against the New York Knicks, in the first playoff game of the NBA Cup. The Raptors dominated Group A in the East and were the first team to qualify for the playoffs.
“We all know who RJ is and what he brings to us,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said Sunday. “He’s a very important player for us in attack, but I don’t want to see things from that angle. He’s not here. We must find a solution. We have a more than competent team. We have a lot of talent. »
Since being acquired in a trade with the Knicks at the 2023-24 season deadline, Barrett has averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game with the Raptors in 107 games.
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