NBA injury report: Is Jakob Poeltl out of NBA season? Toronto Raptors star's lingering back problem keeps team waiting for answers

Jakob Poeltl, the starting center for the Toronto Raptors, has not yet received a return date. According to Marc Stein, Poeltl is presently taking care of his "ongoing back issues," according to the Raptors. Due to a lower back issue, the 30-year-old Austrian hasn't played since December, missing 17 games.

Jakob last appeared in an official NBA game on December 21, 2025, during a 96–81 away loss in Brooklyn. He left the game early after playing just seven minutes. Poeltl appeared to be in line for a comeback during the team's five-game road trip, which ends today in Oklahoma City.

Toronto Raptors still in the dark as Jakob Poeltl’s back issue shows no clear return timeline

The Toronto Raptors have provided an injury update on Jakob Poeltl, who has been sidelined for more than a month due to a back problem. Poeltl was back in Toronto for pain relief treatment. Poeltl has returned to Toronto and undergone specialized pain management, according to the Raptors.

We'll update his status once he resumes practicing. Additionally, the official announcement of the team read:

“The Toronto Raptors announced Sunday that center Jakob Poeltl, who has been managing ongoing back issues, returned to Toronto and has received targeted pain relief treatment. A return timeline has not yet been established, and his status will be updated when he returns to practice…”




However, the problem started much earlier. According to Michael Grange, the center has been dealing with a back issue that started back in training camp. This makes sense because even before the most recent game in Brooklyn, Poeltl was still missing time occasionally and was typically rested on one leg of back-to-backs.

Meanwhile, the announcement further said:

“Poeltl is averaging 9.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 25.3 minutes in 21 games (all starts) this season. He last played Dec. 21 at Brooklyn before exiting the game midway through the first quarter…”

On Sunday night, Toronto will travel to Oklahoma City to play the NBA's top team, the Thunder.

Jakob Poeltl’s absence leaves a growing hole in Raptors’ frontcourt despite strong playoff push

The big man has had difficulty maintaining his health, and his absence creates a significant void in Toronto's frontcourt lineup. According to the Raptors, Poeltl has returned to Toronto and undergone specialized pain management. We'll update his status once he resumes practicing.

The team and Yak have no choice but to return to Toronto in an attempt to resolve this problem after this setback. The Raptors, who have a 28–19 record and are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, are still competitive despite Poeltl's injury.

Due to a tiebreaker, the Raptors, who have won three straight games, are now fourth in the Eastern Conference at 28-19, behind New York. Toronto is six games behind Detroit and one game behind Boston, which is in second place. In 21 games this season, Poeltl has averaged 9.7 points and 7.7 rebounds.


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