The Toronto Raptors will have to make do without Jakob Poeltl once again.
The 28-year-old center left Monday's game in the third quarter with a left ankle sprain and will not return, the team announced. It's the same ankle that forced Poeltl to miss 11 games earlier this year following a sprain on January 7.
Poeltl had looked stellar before suffering the injury, scoring 15 points with 11 rebounds in nearly 22 minutes. He stayed in the game briefly but checked out at the next opportunity and was taken to the locker room to be looked at.
Further information will likely be provided post-game.
If Poeltl is forced to miss time again, Toronto will likely turn to Kelly Olynyk in the starting lineup. Jontay Porter may see backup playing time off the bench as he did the last time Poeltl was forced out of the lineup.
It took Poeltl a little while to find his footing after returning from his last ankle sprain, but he's been impressive in the last nine games, averaging 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds while shooting 59.8% from the floor. Toronto had gone 4-6 in the last 10 games since Poeltl returned.
A pair of victories over the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks last week opened the door for Toronto to potentially sneak into the play-in tournament this season. Poeltl's injury, however, could complicate that if he's forced to miss extended time.
Toronto will play its next game at home on Wednesday against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
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