Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet was forced to leave the team's Sunday evening scrimmage against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a left knee injury.
The Raptors reported VanVleet left with a “banged” left knee and would not return to the contest.
Update: Fred VanVleet, banged left knee, will not return.
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 26, 2020
Michael Grange of Rogers Sportsnet reported it “didn't look like the knee buckled.”
A 'banged left knee' for Fred VanVleet per @ericsmith. He won't return. Didn't look like the knee buckled so hopefully just caution being taken.
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) July 26, 2020
The Raptors-Blazers match-up is apparently ill-fated. Portland point guard Damian Lillard was also forced to sit out the contest due to a foot injury.
Fred VanVleet's emergence as one of the top guards in the Eastern Conference has been a major reason for the Raptors' continued success even after Kawhi Leonard's departure.
The former Wichita State star came into the restart averaging 17.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 38.8 percent from beyond the arc on a career-high 7.0 attempts per game.
VanVleet has excelled on the defensive end of the floor, averaging 1.9 steals per game and routinely taking on some of Toronto's toughest assignments.
The Raptors will hope this is merely a minor setback for VanVleet, as they hope to defend their NBA title in Orlando.
Toronto figures to be one of the top challengers to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors are among the stingiest defensive teams in basketball, ranking first in opponents' scoring average and second in defensive rating. They have also been efficient from beyond the arc, ranking fourth in 3-pointers made and sixth in 3-point percentage.
The Raptors currently hold the No. 2 seed in the East, but they will need a healthy VanVleet as they enter the seeding games.
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