The Toronto Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet and Scottie Barnes, two of the central members of the team’s rotation, for Tuesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets.
VanVleet, an All-Star candidate this year, was ruled out earlier in the day with a sore right knee. VanVleet is averaging 21.7 points, 7.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting .393 on 9.9 three-pointers per game this season. The 27-year-old leads the Raptors in points and assists per game.
Since last season, Toronto is 4-18 when VanVleet does not play.
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse was unsure if the issue was a longer-term problem, but considered VanVleet to be day-to-day for the time being.
“He’s a little dinged up,” said Nurse.
Barnes, a Rookie of the Year candidate, is averaging 14.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in his first season and was ruled out just prior to the start of Tuesday’s game with right wrist swelling.
With a 22-22 record, the Toronto Raptors are ninth in the East.
Toronto takes on Charlotte beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet.
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