March 11, 2024
The Raptors announced Monday that Boucher suffered a partial MCL tear in his right knee in Saturday's 128-118 overtime loss to the Trail Blazers and will undergo further testing in the coming days,
Kayla Grey of TSN reports. Boucdher is without a timeline for a return.
ANALYSISThe Raptors initially listed Boucher as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Nuggets with a bruised right knee, but initial tests evidently revealed a more severe injury. Though Boucher is expected to recover from the knee issue without requiring surgery, even a minor tear would likely entail a multi-week rest-and-rehab period. Given that Toronto sits at 23-41 on the season entering Monday's contest, the team likely won't look to rush the 31-year-old back from the injury, so he could be at risk of missing the rest of the season. Boucher had recently resurfaced in the rotation and averaged 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 27.5 minutes over the past two contests, but his upcoming absence likely paves the way for
Jontay Porter to slot back in as the primary backup to starting center
Kelly Olynyk.