Toronto Raptors starting center Jakob Poeltl has been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Houston Rockets. He has been sidelined due to a back injury, and was downgraded to out after being doubtful for this game.
Jakob Poeltl (back) listed out Wednesday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) October 29, 2025
Poeltl exited the game early against San Antonio as a result of this back injury. Poeltl missed a few games in the preseason with this back injury, so this is something Poeltl and the team have been aware of for multiple weeks now.
It’s been apparent that Poeltl’s movement is compromised through Toronto’s first four games of the season as he is not moving with the same intensity on defense as he has in previous seasons. So far this year, Poeltl has posted averages of 6.5 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 2.3 rebounds per game in just 23 minutes per contest.
This injury may sideline Poeltl for multiple games. Letting him heal up fully could be a better decision than letting his limited play hurt Toronto on the court. So after an already rocky start to the season, especially on defense, Toronto will have to move forward without their starting center for the time being.
