The Toronto Raptors have fought valiantly all season but are in danger of being knocked off of the NBA playoffs by the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid and the Sixers have proven to be too much to handle for the Raptors, though they have held their own in what could be the decisive Game 4.
The Raptors' chances of snagging a win from the Sixers were worsened after their All-Star exited the game. Fred VanVleet left the game with a hip issue in the second quarter and tore his jersey in frustration. Toronto took a five-point lead into halftime. VanVleet did not make it back in time to start the second half.
Fred VanVleet tears his jersey in half and heads straight to the locker room 👀pic.twitter.com/3qko9vHmOA
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 23, 2022
VanVleet recorded five points, three assists and two rebounds before heading to the locker room. He has been the Raptors' most important player all year, leading them in assists per game and coming in second in points per game while providing some elite defense.
Toronto got smoked in the first two games against the Sixers and blew a 17-point lead in Game 3, the Raps' first home playoff contest since 2019. VanVleet may not make it back to help them capture a win in the series, but his contributions to the team have been great all season long. Toronto will have to dig deeper to defeat the Sixers.
Even if the Raptors end up getting eliminated from the NBA playoffs, they can celebrate Scottie Barnes taking home the Rookie of the Year award. In what was a historically close race, the Toronto youngster took home the hardware.