Valanciunas expected to miss four more weeks
The Toronto Raptors are going to be without Jonas Valanciunas for at least another four weeks.
There had been some hope that the Raptors centre, who has been working on court before practices, would be able to be able to come back a little sooner, but his return should come closer to the NBA all-star break, as was originally expected.
The team announced Wednesday that Valanciunas’s surgically repaired left thumb is now in a splint and “he will use the splint for approximately the next four weeks and will be regularly evaluated during that period.”
A return at the all-star break, which runs Feb. 15-17, was the estimate when Valanciunas suffered a dislocated thumb Dec.12 in a game at Golden State. The injury occurred when the Warriors’ Draymond Green swatted at Valanciunas’s hands near the basket.
The Raptors centre had been averaging 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds while playing about19 minutes a night. His per-36minutes scoring (24.5 points) was the highest of his career.
Valanciunas has been active in rehabilitation, working diligently with members of the coaching staff before each game and practice.
He’s still able to do all the cardiovascular work necessary to stay in top shape and has been working taking shots with his dominant right hand every day.
But until he can have full range of motion, strength and power in the dislocated thumb, a return to even full-contact practices will be prohibited.