TORONTO — Immanuel Quickley has suffered through a challenging second season with the Toronto Raptors.
The injury-plagued point guard was healthy enough to play for only the 10th time this season, but his return coincided with the Raptors' season-high five-game winning streak being halted with a 122-106 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
Quickley was good for 14 points in only 15 minutes of playing time as he'll be brought back into the fold slowly as he recovers from a groin injury.
But the fact he's been in the lineup for only one win and nine losses simply adds to the frustration.
"Groin is kind of tough because (there's) not really a lot you can do, as far as just instant healing, or whatever you want to call it," the 25-year-old Quickley said.
"But it is definitely tough. You want to be out there with the guys. You want to be able to help them."
Quickly has missed 38 games with ailments that have included a pelvic contusion, left elbow tear, left hip strain and most recently a groin strain.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic relayed that the plan for his point guard was to build up his minutes, even though Quickley returned with a hot start.
The guard nailed a three-point jumper, grabbed a rebound and then hit a floating drive shot to give the home side an early 5-2 lead.
"We're going to be strategic to build his capacity to get him back," Rajakovic said. "I thought in those minutes there, he played really hard.
"He looked pretty good over there for those minutes that he's spent on the floor."
The Raptors' (15-33) win streak and stretch of seven wins in eight outings were a credit to an improved defence. But they let the Bulls off the hook as the team with the second most three-point field goals made this season were good for 18 three-pointers before 19,365 at Scotiabank Arena.
"Playing with great players, like, it’s not hard to fit in with the guys," Quickley said. "You know, the standard that they’ve been setting while I was out defensively, picking up the effort that everybody’s been playing with, you've just got to match that.
"So, you know, just playing with a lot of energy. I'm just trusting what the training staff is telling me."
Coby White scored a game-high 25 points and Nikola Vucevic added 21 and 11 rebounds to pace the Bulls (21-28).
Scottie Barnes led the way for Toronto with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while RJ Barrett checked in with 19 points and nine rebounds.
"[Quickley] was good," Barnes said. "He brought some more shooting to our group. He was great in the pick and roll. He's just dangerous on the perimeter.
"He is working back into it, picking up full court, trying to push himself.”
Josh Giddy scored 15 points for Chicago, while Jalen Smith and Matas Buzelis came off the bench to chip in 17 and 12 points, respectively.
The Chicago bench outscored Toronto's subs 50-32.
The Bulls held a 30-27 advantage after the first quarter and led 55-50 at the half on the strength of 9 for 21 shooting from beyond the arc.
Bulls guard Zach LaVine missed his second straight game for personal reasons. There has been speculation that LaVine may be moved before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.
After Barrett gave the Raptors a 64-63 with 7:17 remaining in the third quarter, the Bulls went on an 18-4 run and never trailed again.
Despite the defeat, the Raptors enjoyed their first winning month (8-7) since going 8-7 in November 2023.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2025.
Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press