This Player is Raptors' X-Factor Before Playoffs

The Toronto Raptors are gearing up for the postseason, and the team needs all the help it can get.

Getting Jakob Poeltl back from injury has been huge for the team as it appears his injuries are officially behind him.

"The Raptors are, for better or worse, fully committed to this core until they pivot toward something else. So, they have to maximize its effectiveness, because they don't have a different formula for success. And doing that has been tricky with Poeltl largely struggling to stay on the floor this season, though there's hope his pesky back problems have dissipated just in time for him to contribute when it matters most," Bleacher Report contributor Zach Buckley wrote.

"Poeltl is basically a 7-foot safety blanket. He's the backbone of the defense on one end and a gear-turning screen-setter, finisher and simple pass-maker on the other. The Raptors usually appear noticeably wobbly whenever he does."

Jakob Poeltl Moving Past Injury

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the basket against Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

It has been a dicey season for Poeltl thus far, as a lot of negativity has surrounded his game; however, he is really making the most of being back on the court. He is averaging over 20 points per game in his last three appearances and has four double-doubles since Feb. 28 against the Washington Wizards.

The Raptors are a team that needs all of its parts in order to be whole. While Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram have carried the torch for most of the season, the finish for the Raptors season will come down to how the role players can achieve a new level.

This includes Poeltl, RJ Barrett, Collin Murray-Boyles, Immanuel Quickley, Jamal Shead and Sandro Mamukelashvili. If those players can perform at their highest standards, the Raptors will be a dangerous team for anyone facing them in the postseason, which begins in just a few weeks.

Poeltl and the Raptors are about to take on the Phoenix Suns for the second time this month. The Raptors came out on top in the previous meeting, but they have to find a way to win again so they can keep pace in the Eastern Conference. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET inside the Mortgage Matchup Center. Fans can watch the game on Sportsnet or stream it on NBA League Pass.

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