November 3, 2026 at 6:58 AM UTC
Pregame AnalysisShorthanded Raptors Face a Tall Task in Denver
Toronto's thin frontcourt and missing co-star make a tough road test even tougher.
- TOR @ DEN Nov 5, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC
Both teams arrive at 3-3, but the injury reports point in different directions. Toronto will be without Kawhi Leonard, who is out with a left knee injury announced as multiple weeks. The Raptors went 1-3 in the four games he missed. Jakob Poeltl is also out with left shoulder bursitis after being a late scratch in his last outing, so Toronto lacks both its second option and its starting center.
That leaves Scottie Barnes with a heavy load. He scored a career-high 41 points on 19-of-34 shooting in the NBA Cup loss to Orlando, and he added five rebounds, five assists and two steals. It was a huge individual night, but Toronto still lost. Barnes can carry the offense for stretches, yet taking 34 shots to get there is not a sustainable formula against a Denver team that can load up on him. Max Strus being available after his foot injury gives the Raptors a little more perimeter help.
The bigger concern is defense. Luka Doncic scored 45 with 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals in Toronto's 131-125 loss to the Lakers. That showed how easily an elite creator can pick the Raptors apart. Without Poeltl protecting the paint and cleaning the glass, Toronto will have a hard time slowing Denver's possessions.
Denver has its own absences, with Spencer Jones (hamstring) and Julian Strawther (knee) out. Those are depth losses, though, while Toronto is missing core pieces. Home court and a more complete rotation should matter. Barnes keeps the Raptors within reach for a while, but Denver's advantage up front wears them down late.
Prediction: Nuggets 123, Raptors 114.