MILWAUKEE — A sprained left thumb will keep Kyle Lowry out of the next two games at least.
Coach Nick Nurse said the Raptors planned to hold the six-time all-star guard out of both Thursday’s game in Milwaukee and Friday’s game at Minnesota, and then re-assess the injury.
“It’s not good, obviously, because he’s not playing,” Nurse said.
Lowry injured his thumb — the same one that he had surgery on after Toronto’s 2019 championship run — in the first quarter of Tuesday’s 124-113 win in Milwaukee. He stayed in the game before leaving in the third quarter with a sore ankle.
The Raptors recalled rookie guard Malachi Flynn on Thursday from Raptors 905, who are playing a shortened G League season in a bubble at Walt Disney World. Nurse said he expected Flynn to arrive in time for tip-off.
The 22-year-old was the Raptors’ top draft pick in 2020, as the 29th overall selection out of San Diego State. In 13 games with the Raptors this year, Flynn has come off the bench to average 8.2 minutes, 2.2 points, 1.2 assists and 0.7 rebounds per game — with a 34.6-per-cent effective shooting percentage.
Nurse said Toronto’s Yuta Watanabe (ankle) was set to return on Thursday.
The Raptors, seventh in the East, are looking for back-to-back victories against the struggling Bucks, who are third.
Toronto’s OG Anunoby returned Tuesday after missing 10 games with a calf strain.
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