TORONTO – Jonas Valanciunas participated in Monday morning’s shootaround, but the Toronto Raptors remain mum on the big man’s playing status.
“We’re going to see how he reacts this afternoon,” coach Dwane Casey said. “He’s still pretty sore, but we’re going to wait and see.”
Asked if there was any chance he’d play on Monday night, Casey said: “We’ll see.”
Valanciunas badly sprained his ankle in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals versus Miami.
READ MORE: DeRozan, Biyombo lead Raptors over Cavs 99-84 to take Game 3
The Raptors go into Monday’s game trailing the Cavaliers two games to one in their Eastern Conference finals debut. Game 5 is Wednesday in Cleveland.
The Raptors listed Valanciunas as “doubtful” on Sunday, which was an upgrade.
The 24-year-old from Lithuania was playing some of the best basketball of his career this post-season, averaging 15 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 10 games, and Raptors GM Masai Ujiri said recently Valanciunas would be the best big man in this series “by far.”
READ MORE: Coach Casey fined by NBA, Jones suspended for low blow on Biyombo
Bismack Biyombo has stepped up admirably in Valanciunas’s absence, grabbing 26 rebounds in The Raptors’ Game 3 win.
The Raptors need a win in Game 4 to tie the series at two.
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