Raptors Injury News: Quickley, CMB and Mamu all questionable vs. Heat

The Toronto Raptors’ starting point guard is nearing a return.

Immanuel Quickley is listed as questionable on the injury report for the Raptors’ game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, the team announced Monday.

Collin Murray-Boyles, (quad contusion) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (knee soreness) are also listed as questionable.

Quickley has missed the last eight games with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, an issue that was reportedly bothering him prior to sitting out as he was seen treating it before games.

The 26-year-old has been an integral part of Toronto’s offence, averaging 16.9 points, six assists and shooting 37.4 percent from three on a difficult shot diet.

Toronto has split their eight games without Quickley 4-4, but the drop off in shooting has been noticeable, particularly in the pull-up department, as their league-worst 5.1 pull-up three attempts per game have gone down to 2.6.

During this time Scottie Barnes has often taken over point-guard duties for Quickley – to mixed results.

The Raptors’ record is currently tied with the Philadelphia 76ers at 43-35, but are behind them in seventh as the 76ers own the tiebreaker due to a better divisional record.

Raptors Republic’s Samson Folk detailed Quickley’s importance to Toronto, despite his limitations, in this column.

The weight of the Raptors offense and its failings fall at the feet of everyone, but it isn’t evenly distributed across the players’ backs. Some players are load bearing. If the offense were a couch — or better yet, a big, cumbersome sectional that needed lifting — we all know who would be lifting the the most. We know who would be squeezing a hand in, merely a presence near the couch. We know who the load bearers would turn to and say: “All you had to do was unscrew and hold the pegs, man. That’s all you had to do. It won’t fit through the frame if the pegs are there.” Couches! Basketball! Offense! You get it.

Immanuel Quickley is load bearing. His level of shooting is unparalleled on the roster. It’s as if he’s the only guy who can lift and walk backwards at the same time. Completely essential to the Raptors’ couch moving offense. So, why is the offense only +0.1 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the floor? Well, some of the reasons that Louis applied to the Brandon Ingram of it all, apply to Quickley too. Playing against other starters, holding serve until the Raptors big minute winning lineups can crush their oppositions weaker configurations. However, the Jamal Shead & Quickley backcourt, and its immense success, lays to bare what many people have been trying to pin down about the Raptors lead guard. He is very important, but should he lead?

The post Raptors Injury News: Quickley, CMB and Mamu all questionable vs. Heat first appeared on Raptors Republic.