Brandon Ingram Game 7 Availability in Doubt After Morning Shootaround

The two best words in sports are upon the NBA world on Sunday for the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers: Game 7. A back-and-forth series has seen the home team win every game, and the Raptors are looking to end that streak as they head to Rocket Arena in Cleveland. 

Late-game offense has been an issue for Toronto all season, and Game 6 was no different. The Raptors shot just 4-for-16 in the fourth quarter and scored 12 points total, allowing the Cavaliers to force overtime after holding an 11-point lead to begin the final period. If it weren’t for the heroic game-winning shot by RJ Barrett with 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime, this fourth-quarter blunder may have been enough to send the Raptors home. 

Someone who could have played a pivotal part in the Raptors’ offensive stability is two-time All-Star Brandon Ingram, who sat out the game due to right heel inflammation. The injury he has been dealing with for over a month was reaggravated in the second quarter of Game 5, forcing him to miss the second half in the loss, and Game 6 consequently. 

The official NBA injury report has the former No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft as questionable to return for Game 7, but his appearance at morning shootaround wasn’t encouraging in the slightest. 

Similar to how he showed up to Game 6 at Scotiabank Arena, Ingram was present at morning shootaround with a walking boot on. While it isn’t impossible for him to play tonight, this should show the Raptors that they need to prepare to be without him again. 

As devastating as this may seem for Raptors’ fans, there truly is a possibility that he returns. Several different foot injuries are treated with a walking boot for the purpose of stabilizing the affected muscles, tendons, joints, or bones for extended rest. It should be treated more as a rehabilitation method rather than a sign of his inability to walk without it. 

Whether he is able to play or not, the Raptors need to find more in the fourth quarter. It’s something that has been said about the team since Week 1 of the regular season, but their half-court offense is simply not good enough to compete with high-level playoff defense. Fortunately for the Raptors, they have consistently been able to build leads going into the third quarter of several games in this series, and that may need to continue if they want to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett have carried the team to this point, but they need consistency from others on offense. Collin Murray-Boyles has been an excellent roller in the pick-and-roll, rim-runner, and offensive rebounder, but in a tightly packed paint, he has struggled to find shots late in games. Ja’Kobe Walter has provided important outside shooting over the past two games, but similarly, he has struggled to find his own shot that isn’t created by Barnes or Barrett. 

Having Ingram on the floor will force the defense to shift their focus elsewhere, creating more opportunities for the other players on the floor. The Raptors’ first Game 7 since the Bubble in 2020 is tonight at 7:30 PM EST.