Raptors' Immanuel Quickley out for Game 1 vs. Cavaliers with hamstring strain

Atlantic76ersCelticsKnicksNetsRaptorsCentralBucksBullsCavaliersPacersPistonsSoutheastHawksHeatHornetsMagicWizardsSouthwestGrizzliesMavericksPelicansRocketsSpursNorthwestJazzNuggetsThunderTimberwolvesTrail BlazersPacificClippersKingsLakersSunsWarriorsScores & ScheduleStandingsThe Bounce NewsletterNBA DraftPodcastsFantasyNBA OddsNBA PicksWhat To Know About The First RoundHollinger's Playoff PreviewThe Bucks' Season From HellPlayer Poll: Who Will Win Title?NBA Postseason The Raptors will be without starting point guard Immanuel Quickley for Game 1 against the Cavaliers Saturday. Cole Burston/Getty Images Share articleCLEVELAND — The Toronto Raptors will be without their starting point guard to begin the NBA playoffs. Immanuel Quickley will not participate in Game 1 of the Raptors’ series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. Quickley strained his right hamstring in the Raptors’ final game of the year against the Brooklyn Nets. Quickley played 17 minutes in the first half of the game before not returning for the second half. Quickley missed eight games in a row heading into the final week of the season because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot before returning on April 7, as the Raptors needed a strong finish to avoid the Play-In Tournament. He indicated Friday that he would have missed more time due to the plantar fasciitis had it occurred earlier in the season, but there is no certainty that his foot injury led to his hamstring injury. It was clear, however, that Quickley was well short of full health. “I just want to play, not even for myself, (but) for my teammates,” Quickley said Friday. “I feel like even the couple games at the end of the season, I was … really banged up,” Quickley said Friday, later adding, “I know how much this means to our team, to our group, (I was) just trying to be out there for my guys.” Quickley participated in just individual workouts heading into Saturday’s game. “He’s improving,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said. “Every day, he’s getting better.” The Raptors went with different lineups in Quickley’s absence, with backup guard Jamal Shead and reserve wing Ja’Kobe Walter the most common players to get promoted. Whoever takes Quickley’s place against Cleveland will likely get the biggest share of the defensive assignment on Cavs star Donovan Mitchell. The Raptors are one of the weaker 3-point-shooting teams in the playoffs, with Quickley the most dangerous player from deep on the roster. He averaged 16.4 points and 5.9 assists per game in 70 games this year, shooting 37.4 percent from 3 and making a team-high 2.5 3s per game. “The shooting piece, the speed: The guy’s a heck of a player,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I’m sure Darko (Rajaković) would agree with this: He’s a big reason they captured the fifth seed.” While Quickley was out with his foot injury, Scottie Barnes took on a bigger role as a playmaker, averaging 10.6 assists over the eight games, up from his season average of 5.9. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Eric Koreen is a senior writer covering the Raptors and the NBA. Previously, he has written for the National Post, Canadian Press, Sportsnet and Complex.