Is Immanuel Quickley out for Game 3? (Image via NBA)
Point guard Immanuel Quickley will miss the rest of the Toronto Raptors’ first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team confirmed on Friday. Quickley has been recovering from a right hamstring injury he incurred against the Brooklyn Nets in the regular-season finale.During pregame media availability, Raptors coach Darko Rajakovicé stated that he had missed the first two games of the best-of-seven first-round series. Quickley’s eligibility to play in Game 3 had been questioned. Before traveling to Canada, the Cavaliers won Games 1 and 2 in Cleveland to grab a 2-0 series lead. At Scotiabank Arena on Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m., Game 3 is set to begin.
Immanuel Quickley got injured as Toronto Raptors lean on Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett in series vs Cleveland Cavaliers
The starting point guard for the Toronto Raptors appears to be getting closer to making his postseason debut.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic told reporters on Wednesday that Immanuel Quickley is “getting better every day” while he heals from a strained right hamstring.For Game 3, though, the point guard is still in doubt. During the Raptors’ regular-season finale, Quickley sustained a hamstring injury. He contributed four points, two rebounds, and five assists in his 16 minutes of action during the first half.Despite dealing with plantar fasciitis during the regular season, the 26-year-old finished with a career-high 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 70 games.
Quickley’s most notable ability is his three-point shooting. He struggled in the first half of the season, shooting only 34.7% from beyond the arc, but in the second half, he shot 41.5%, raising his season total to 37.4%.
The product of Havre de Grace, Maryland, struggled with plantar fasciitis throughout the last stretch of the season, missing eight games in a row from late March to early April and often seen wearing a walking boot.After Jamal Shead was selected in Games 1 and 2, Ja’Kobe Walter started at guard in Thursday’s 126-104 Game 3 victory. However, Scottie Barnes, who had a double-double, stated the following about the game:“We were going to do whatever it takes… We knew we needed everybody for this win. You’ve seen some big performances from everybody.. It just goes to show how resilient we are, how badly we wanted it, going out there and trying to do whatever it took.”In the win, Barnes scored 33 points, a career high for the playoffs. In the crucial win, rookie Collin Murray-Boyles scored 22 and Canadian R.J. Barrett scored 33. Game 4 of the series is set for Sunday afternoon in Toronto, with the Raptors already behind 2-1.
