Toronto Raptors backup point guard Fred VanVleet was on the wrong end of an inadvertent Shaun Livingston elbow that left him with a bloodied eye and with one tooth missing.
Early in the fourth quarter of Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors, Livingston drove to the basket but was met by Serge Ibaka mid-air. The veteran guard collided with Ibaka, but he managed to get the ball up before falling.
Unfortunately, however, as Livingston’s left hand flung following the collision with Ibaka, it hit the oncoming VanVleet who was obviously looking to fight for the rebound.
After the incident, VanVleet lied on the floor with his right eye bleeding profusely.
FRED VANVLEET LOST HIS TOOTH. pic.twitter.com/nv6XVHAkqb
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 8, 2019
VanVleet was then substituted, with his condition still unknown.
The 25-year-old guard has been playing well for the Raptors so far, averaging 14.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals in their first three games against the Warriors. He is also shooting the ball efficiently, recording a 48.5 percent shooting clip in the same span.
His injury is unlikely to be serious, but taking an elbow to the head is never good. The Raptors are expected to take precautionary measures in order to ensure that he’s perfectly fine after the accident.
The Raptors certainly need VanVleet if they want to bring down the Warriors in their seven-game series.
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