With a 126-104 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors avoided a 3-0 deficit on Thursday night. Still, the hard work has only just begun for the scrappy team from Canada.
To make matters even worse, they can no longer count on the return of Sixth Man, and backup point guard, Immanuel Quickley. The veteran guard was still working his way back from a hamstring injury when he suffered a setback that ended any prospect of his return this season.
“The Toronto Raptors announced Friday that guard Immanuel Quickley will not be available for the remainder of the team’s first-round playoff series,” the Raptors wrote in a statement. “As Quickley was going through the rehabilitation process for a return to the court, he reinjured his right hamstring. His condition will be updated as appropriate.”
Quickley, 26, hasn’t played since April 12th, when he suffered a hamstring injury in the season finale against the Nets. The injury was initially diagnosed as a mild strain, and Quickley was considered day-to-day as the playoffs began. In the process of returning, however, he reinjured the hamstring, setting back the clock and ending any hope of a return before the 2026-27 season.
Quickley was part of the 2020-21 All-Rookie team after a stellar debut campaign with the Knicks. He eventually developed into a consistent perimeter scorer in the backcourt, receiving a steadily increasing role and minutes over the years. He joined the Raptors in 2023 and has provided a critical offensive spark for them in the starting lineup.
This season, in 70 games, Quickley averaged 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game on 44.3% shooting and 37.4% shooting from three. But now, his campaign is over in yet another blow for the Raptors. Fortunately, at 46-36, the team has shown they have enough to make up for his absence, even if it ultimately weakens their title chances.
For the rest of this season, we can expect the Raptors to continue looking elsewhere for that key backcourt scoring. In their current series against the Cavaliers, RJ Barrett has been a reliable source of points, while Scottie Barnes continues to prove reliable as their main offensive playmaker on the wing.
But if the Raptors want any hope of pulling off the upset in this series, Brandon Ingram will have to rise to the occasion. He’s struggled in the first three games, scoring a combined 36 points on just 13-33 shooting. With averages of 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on 47.7% shooting (38.2% from three), we know he can do better, and he’ll have to start playing like it to put his team in a position to win.
As far as what comes next for Quickley, that much is simple. With another two years and $80 million on his contract (including a $41.9 million player option for 2027-28), all he can do is continue his recovery and regain his strength for next season. For a Raptors team that has shown surprising growth, Quickley will be essential to their progress, and his success could help them become a bigger force in the East.
