National Basketball Association

Final pre-season game brings more injury woes to Raptors

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Another day, another injury to a Raptors player. Is this normal, or should we be getting worried?

A dismal game in the U.S. capital last night lowlighted what appears to be a growing problem for the Toronto Raptors. Lucas Nogueira got tangled up with a Wizard, landed badly, and didn’t get up. He was helped off the floor, and the initial report was an ankle sprain.

The preseason is a time when a plethora of injuries appears, most of them fictitious. A trainer may tell his head coach that Fred McBuckets has a slight hamstring pull, and that’s enough for Freddie to be told to find a seat and get comfortable. After all, what coach wants his top player(s) aggravating a small pain while playing an Argentinian club team? If McBuckets has a guaranteed contract, he’s perfectly happy to take the night off. Plus, coach gets to see his training camp invitees in a game, rather than behind closed doors in practice.

Oct 1, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) passes as Toronto Raptors forward Jared Sullinger (0) moves in during the second quarter at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

However, I’m not liking what’s happening this preseason. Bebe’s injury was no fake. Terrence Ross has been used sparingly, as he is recovering from a knee injury incurred in practice a week ago. Jared Sullinger is listed as “questionable” to open the season with a troublesome (and hard to diagnose) foot injury. Delon Wright, of course, will be on the shelf until Christmas with shoulder trouble.

By contrast, Cory Joseph being forced to miss the Washington debacle with “flu-like symptoms” is not a cause for alarm. Having a raft of nagging injuries very much is, particularly since the season hasn’t even begun.

Sullinger’s injury is the most worrisome. The power forward position has been a black hole for the Raptors for years, and the curse appears likely to persist. Patrick Patterson doesn’t look any better offensively than he did last season, and Pascal Siakam’s skills are not of NBA quality as yet. That’s not a swing at the kid; he’s a rookie, and the Raptors knew he was raw when they drafted him. If Sullinger is out, or more correctly never in, for a lengthy period, the Raptors are going to struggle. Foot injuries to big men are always a concern, and Sullinger’s bulk (to put it kindly) makes the problem worse.

I’ve been a fan of Dwane Casey’s almost since he arrived in Toronto. My sole complaint about him is his questionable in-game decision-making. He will need to be at his best (meaning better than he’s ever been) out of the gate. The Raptors appear certain to kick off the new season with a banged-up roster. That means unlikely faces, like Fred VanVleet and Siakam, could grab some playing time. Casey’s judicious use of unproven players will be essential to early Raptors success.