- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Raptors Dealing With Injury Woes as Playoffs Approach
RJ Barrett's shoulder stiffness adds to Toronto's growing list of injured players
Mar. 29, 2026 at 8:51pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The Toronto Raptors are facing a slew of injuries late in the season, with several key players listed on the injury report ahead of their matchup against the Orlando Magic. RJ Barrett is considered a game-time decision due to shoulder stiffness, while Jamison Battle is ruled out with an illness. The Raptors are also getting some players back, including Brandon Ingram and Collin Murray-Boyles, but the absences of Barrett and Immanuel Quickley will be a significant loss for the team.
Why it matters
The Raptors are jockeying for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, and injuries to their rotation players could impact their ability to secure a favorable seed. Barrett's defense and scoring have been crucial to the team's success, so his potential absence would be a major blow.
The details
The Raptors initially had Immanuel Quickley, Brandon Ingram, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Collin Murray-Boyles on the injury report, but have now added RJ Barrett as a game-time decision due to shoulder stiffness and Jamison Battle as out due to illness. Head coach Darko Rajakovic acknowledged the team's growing injury list, saying 'I feel like I'm doing PR for a hospital' about the situation.
- The Raptors are scheduled to face the Orlando Magic on March 29, 2026 at 6 p.m. ET.
The players
RJ Barrett
A key two-way player for the Raptors who is averaging 18.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game this season.
Jamison Battle
A Raptors player who has been ruled out for the game against the Magic due to an illness.
Darko Rajakovic
The head coach of the Toronto Raptors.
What they’re saying
“'I feel like I'm doing PR for a hospital'”
— Darko Rajakovic, Head Coach, Toronto Raptors
“'Definitely, his offence is helping the team. But to be honest with you, what he's doing really well lately is he's playing really good defence. And that's always the thing that then starts with him and starts with us, and that he has to do a good job there. When he does that, I really believe that when he plays with a lot of attention and effort on the defensive, I really think that helps his offence as well.'”
— Darko Rajakovic, Head Coach, Toronto Raptors
What’s next
The Raptors will evaluate RJ Barrett's status closer to tip-off against the Magic to determine if he can play through the shoulder stiffness. If Barrett is unable to go, Ja'Kobe Walter could get the start in his place.
The takeaway
The Raptors' injury woes come at a critical time as they jockey for playoff positioning in the East. Losing a two-way contributor like RJ Barrett would be a significant blow, especially with the team already missing other key rotation players. The Raptors will need to dig deep into their depth to overcome these challenges and maintain their standing in the postseason race.
