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Fred VanVleet Might Miss Rest of Series vs. Sixers Due to Injury

The Toronto Raptors haven't had it easy against the Philadelphia 76ers through the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Early on in the series, the Raptors
Justin Grasso|
Fred VanVleet Might Miss Rest of Series vs. Sixers Due to Injury
Fred VanVleet Might Miss Rest of Series vs. Sixers Due to Injury

The Toronto Raptors haven't had it easy against the Philadelphia 76ers through the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

Early on in the series, the Raptors dealt with several setbacks. The veteran forward Thad Young sprained his thumb, which caused him to miss time during the first game.

The Rookie of the Year winner Scottie Barnes sprained his ankle, which kept him off the floor for two-straight games.

And the veteran wing Gary Trent Jr. was battling a non-COVID illness, which caused him to struggle in the first few games.

Ahead of Game 4, the Raptors finally got healthy as Barnes was cleared for action after originally being listed as doubtful. But the healthy streak didn't last long.

Raptors' All-Star Fred VanVleet played for just 14 minutes on Saturday as he suffered a hip injury. When Toronto released their injury report on Sunday afternoon, VanVleet was listed as questionable.

However, the All-Star guard didn't shy away from ruling himself out on Monday morning. According to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, VanVleet told reporters on Monday that he didn't intend to play on Monday.

Therefore, the Raptors will be shorthanded once again. As the Raptors could live to see another day with a win on Monday night, a Game 5 victory wouldn't guarantee VanVleet would be available for Game 6.

According to Michael Grange of SportsNet, VanVleet "sounded doubtful" he would be ready for Game 6 if it does happen. Grange also mentioned if the Raptors were to complete a comeback, then VanVleet would be optimistic he'll be ready for the second round.

While there is a chance the Raptors could advance to the next round, they have a lot to accomplish this week to keep their postseason alive. Toronto needs a lot to go in their favor in order for a comeback to happen -- and missing an All-Star point guard definitely isn't an ideal scenario for the Sixers. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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