TORONTO RAPTORS FACE INJURY CHALLENGES AHEAD OF MATCH AGAINST DENVER NUGGETS

Injuries are mounting for the Toronto Raptors as they prepare to face the NBA champion Denver Nuggets.

Immanuel Quickley, Gary Trent Jr., and Chris Boucher will all be absent from tonight’s game.

Quickley, who took over as the Raptors’ starting point guard after being traded to the team on Dec. 30, is sidelined with a left-hip flexor strain.

Trent, Toronto’s starting shooting guard, is grappling with a right groin strain.

Boucher, a backup forward from Montreal, is nursing a right knee contusion.

Additionally, all-star forward Scottie Barnes (broken hand) and starting center Jakob Poeltl (torn ligament in hand) have undergone surgery and are expected to be out week to week.

RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., is set to return to Toronto’s lineup after missing Saturday’s 128-118 overtime loss in Portland due to illness.