Raptors lose Jonas Valanciunas to injury in Game 3
Toronto centre sprains ankle; Miami's Whiteside also forced out with knee issue
Toronto Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas left in the third quarter of Saturday's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat with a sprained right ankle.
Valanciunas fell on the other end with 8:53 left in the third, then was diagnosed with the ankle sprain. The Raptors said X-rays weren't immediately necessary. Valanciunas finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Jonas Valanciunas right ankle is swollen. He couldn't wear his right dress shoe post game. He'll be reassessed Sunday. Day-to-day. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raptors?src=hash">#Raptors</a>
—@TSNScianittiHeat centre Hassan Whiteside also left the game in the second quarter with a right knee injury.
The Heat quickly said Whiteside — the NBA's leading shot-blocker this season — wouldn't return, though there was no immediate word on the severity of the injury. X-rays were negative and more tests were expected.
Whiteside started falling back awkwardly as he tried to get position for a rebound, then it appeared his knee collided with Toronto's Cory Joseph and Heat teammate Luol Deng as he went down. He was tended to near the bench by Heat athletic trainer Jay Sabol, then limped into the locker room for further evaluation.
Whiteside had six points on 2 for 2 shooting in eight minutes Saturday. He came in averaging 12.7 points and 12.1 rebounds in the playoffs.
Toronto defeated Miami 95-91.
Game 4 of the series is Monday in Miami.