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After suffering a couple of beat-downs in Game's 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors bounced back to take Game 3 and make this a series. Now, they could receive a much needed boost in the paint.
Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas has been out since Game 3 of the second round after spraining his ankle, but there's a chance he'll return for Game 4 tonight.
Valanciunas participated in the team's shootaround this morning, leading to a number of questions about his availability. Head coach Dwane Casey answered all of them with, “We'll see.”
Still, even though hopes are up, Valanciunas is still officially listed as doubtful.
Despite report that Valanciunas is likely to play, the team is still listing him as "doubtful" and I'm told chances are worse than 50-50
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) May 23, 2016
In the 10 games he's played in this postseason, Valanciunas has averaged 15 points and 12.1 rebounds. His replacement Bismack Biyombo has brought energy and passion to the court, owning the glass in Game 3 with 26 rebounds, giving him the franchise-record.
However, Biyombo's offensive limitations have been evident; if the Raptors really want to challenge the Cavs for the Eastern Conference crown, they'll need both Valanciunas and Biyombo to contribute at some point.
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