Raptors give Brandon Ingram injury update

Brandon Ingram left the Toronto Raptors' game against the Charlotte Hornets early.

Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram passes the ball as he collides with Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors are breathing a sigh of relief after Brandon Ingram left the team's 97-96 win against the Charlotte Hornets with a right thumb sprain.

Ingram got x-rays on the injury, and according to Sportsnet reporter Michael Grange, those tests came back negative.

Ingram done for the night with a sprained right thumb. X-rays were negative. Ingram has played in every game this season for the Raptors. https://t.co/OfO4xFQnaF

— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) January 8, 2026

Ingram suffers thumb sprain vs. Hornets

The injury could have been a lot worse, but the Raptors wanted to keep him out as a precaution. Following an 11-minute performance where he scored six points and blocked three shots.

Ingram has played in every game for the Raptors this season, so the team does not know what life is truly like without him. They struggled in the second half against the Hornets, but thanks to RJ Barrett's strong shooting night and solid team defence they were able to get away with a win.

“I think that's the essence of this game. When you're not having good shooting night, When things are not going your way, to still continue trusting your defense, to still continue fighting for every possession," Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said postgame vis Grange.

The Raptors likely would have kept things more in their favour if Ingram was in the game for all four quarters, but that luxury wasn't provided to them against the Hornets.

If the Raptors have to play any games without Ingram, it would be a challenge. Ingram has been the leading scorer for the Raptors this season, and his loss could make things more difficult.

The Raptors play the Boston Celtics in their next game, which is far from an easy opponent. The Raptors have already lost twice this season to the Celtics and they need all the help they can get, especially on the road.

However, if they don't have Ingram for the next game, the Raptors will have to find ways to pull out a win anyway. They were able to do that against the Hornets, so they should use that to build their confidence going into this game against the Celtics.

When Ingram didn't come out for the second half, the Raptors started Ja'Kobe Walter. So if he were unable to go against the Celtics, that may be the change they end up making in the starting lineup.

Tip-off between the Raptors and Celtics is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside TD Garden. Fans can watch the game on TSN Sports or stream it on NBA League Pass.