Toronto

Raptors

Barnes, who played 34 minutes in Thursday’s win over the Bulls, was excused from Friday’s practice for personal reasons. The Raptors don’t play their next game until Sunday against the Bucks, and more will be learned about his status for that contest when Toronto releases its injury report on Saturday. Barnes has only missed one game this season, a January 9 loss to the Celtics, with Ja’Kobe Walter replacing him in the starting lineup.

Ingram went off for 31 points, but wasn’t very efficient as he shot 11-of-26 from the field. The 28-year-old forward also had eight rebounds and six assists with only two turnovers. On a night where Scottie Barnes had 14 points, five assists and six turnovers, Ingram carried the Raptors to the win. Toronto will close out the week against the Bucks on Sunday.

Murray-Boyles is set to occupy one of the starting spots for Toronto, as Jakob Poeltl will come off the bench. The rookie forward has been a nice two-way presence for the Raptors, but doesn’t have much upside as a fantasy basketball performer yet. Still, he should see a good amount of minutes and serve as a positive piece for the Raptors on Thursday in their attempt to get back in the win column.

Murray-Boyles is back after missing Toronto’s final game before the All-Star break. With Jakob Poeltl and Sandro Mamukelashvili also available, the rookie may not get the minutes needed to offer excellent fantasy value. That said, playing time won’t be an issue for Murray-Boyles.

Mamukelashvili will suit up for Thursday’s contest despite previously being questionable with a rib injury. The veteran forward remains a key piece to Toronto’s bench, bringing rebounding and efficient inside-out scoring to the frontcourt. He doesn’t have high upside as far as fantasy production goes, but he should be able to put up decent production in his minutes.

Mamukelashvili has dealing with a right rib contusion, casting some doubt on his availability for Thursday’s game. With Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb) on track to return, and Jakob Poeltl and Trayce Jackson-Davis being available, the Raptors will have the bodies needed to account for Mamu’s absence if he can’t play.

Murray-Boyles aggravated his sprained left thumb during a February 8 win over the Pacers, missing Toronto’s last game before the All-Star break. The rookie is on track to return Thursday night, likely slotting into the lineup as Jakob Poeltl’s backup. If Sandro Mamukelashvili (ribs) can’t play, there will be a few more minutes available to CMB.

Paul was waived by the Raptors on Friday afternoon and shortly afterwards, took to Instagram to announce his official retirement, saying, “This is it! After over 21 years, I’m stepping away from basketball.” Paul had previously announced that this would be his final season, but then tensions flared with the Clippers earlier in the year, which led to his departure from the team. Paul was a 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA point guard, five-time assists leader, nine-time All-NBA defensive team honoree, and two-time Olympic gold medalist with the United States men’s basketball team. He averaged 16.8 points, 9.2 assists, and 4.4 rebounds in his career and will undoubtedly be a Hall of Famer.

Barnes has enjoyed an excellent season, and he will enter the All-Star break on a high note, even if it wasn’t enough for the Raptors to get a win. This was his fourth game with at least four blocks over the past two weeks, and he has averaged 18.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.8 blocks while shooting 54.4 percent from the floor during that stretch. After playing in the All-Star Game, Barnes will look to finish out the final two months of the regular season strong.

Poeltl suited up for the first time since December and was immediately back in the starting unit. He played 20 minutes and wasn’t productive, but it was a positive step to see him back out on the floor. It has been a rough season to this point for Poeltl, but he’ll get some time to rest more during the All-Star break. He’ll look to have a more productive final two months of the regular season.