Jakob Poeltl Downgraded to Doubtful as Raptors Center Adds Shoulder to Injury Bingo Card

Jakob Poeltl has officially been downgraded to doubtful for Monday night with a shoulder injury, adding yet another body part to his growing medical file.

At this point, the Toronto Raptors center is collecting ailments like they are loyalty points. We have already seen him sidelined for a persistent back issue requiring specialized treatment, a random hip problem, and general injury management. Throwing a shoulder tag into the mix feels like a cruel joke for anyone trying to predict this rotation.

"Underdog NBA reported: 'Jakob Poeltl (shoulder) downgraded to doubtful Monday.'"

When he has actually been on the floor this season, the production has not exactly demanded a massive usage rate. Poeltl is averaging a very quiet 4.6 points and 5.8 rebounds across his first five appearances.

Despite getting essentially nothing from their starting big man, the Raptors are somehow treading water. They are sitting at 3-3 and fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, mostly surviving on the back of Scottie Barnes and a top-five defensive rating.

Poeltl missing Monday night's 10:00 PM ET tipoff against the Los Angeles Clippers completely changes the geometry of the paint. Prop bettors and fantasy managers should probably take a long look at the Clippers frontcourt, because Toronto is going to have to get creative to protect the rim.

If Poeltl sits as expected, the Raptors will have to patch together their interior defense on the fly. We will see if the shoulder loosens up before Wednesday night, when Toronto has to pack their bags and deal with Nikola Jokic in Denver.