Jakob Poeltl's return to the Toronto Raptors lineup was short-lived.
The Raptors centre exited Sunday's game against the Brooklyn Nets with back stiffness after only playing the first quarter, the team announced at the start of the second.
Poeltl missed the Raptors' two prior games as he continues to deal with a lingering back issue that has plagued him for much of the season.
He finished his short appearance, having played six minutes with two points and two rebounds.
Poeltl entered the weekend with a probable designation, but was downgraded to doubtful on Saturday morning before ultimately being ruled out against Boston.
Before losing to the Celtics, Rajakovic described Poeltl's ongoing back injury — causing him to miss nine games already this season — as "unpredictable."
Poeltl's production has seen a dip this season amid the back concerns, averaging 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists through 20 appearances. All of which came on the heels of a career-best season in 2024-25, which earned the 30-year-old a three-year, $84 million extension in the off-season.
