Injuries pile up with season looming
Power forward Sullinger could be ‘a little while,’ Nogueira hurt in loss
WASHINGTON— The pre-season ride is over for the Toronto Raptors and it was at least one game too long for their liking.
They went into Friday’s date with the Washington Wizards — a 119-82 blowout loss — knowing that Jared Sullinger, their starting power forward, would sit this one out and may miss the start of the regular season next week, thanks to an injured left foot.
More bad news was waiting for them in the first quarter, when centre Lucas Nogueira turned his ankle and fell in a heap to the floor. The seven-foot Brazilian stayed there for two possessions, before the refs brought the game to a halt. Shooting guard Terrence Ross made his return from a knee injury and played 9:49 in the first half, but went back to the locker room in the third quarter with his right knee wrapped.
With Wednesday’s season opener against the Detroit Pistons looming, these are the last things that a coach and his staff want to deal with. Nogueira limped out of the locker room after the game, his left ankle looking extremely stiff. Raptors coach Dwane Casey said he didn’t know the severity of the injury yet.
“Lucas just naturally turned his ankle. It’s part of playing. The next person has to be ready to play,” he said, still agitated by his team’s worst preseason showing.
Nogueira’s injury opened the door for rookie Jakob Poeltl, and the Wizards were unkind to him as they blew the game open in the third quarter. Poeltl finished with two points and six rebounds in 12 minutes. Both injuries could have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the roster.
“Jared is still sore. He may be a little while before he comes back,” Casey said Friday morning.
Sullinger hasn’t played since the first pre-season game, when he had his left foot stepped on.
“We’ll get it checked out and see what it is,” Casey said.
“He worked out (Thursday). He’ll get it looked at and see what’s going on because he’s been sore for a while now.”
Sullinger, 24, averaged 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last year with the Boston Celtics before signing as a free-agent this summer with the Raptors. Casey named him the team’s starting power forward on the first day of training camp.
The injury allowed Casey to start rookie Pascal Siakam in the final three games, including on Friday. The 22-year-old has strong moments in the pre-season and has a high motor, but that’s been a blessing and a curse to him as he learns the game at the pro level.
“He’s a rookie and you’re not going to change that,” Casey said. “If he brings the energy and the intensity, which is why we brought him here, he’ll buy some minutes for Pat (Patterson), because Pat’s been playing starter minutes anyway. (Patterson) likes coming off the bench and that helps, it keeps our second unit in tact too.”
If Patterson continues to anchor the second unit, DeMarre Carroll could be another option for Casey at the four spot.
“I didn’t know we had numbers. I’m a basketball player, you can’t put a number on me,” a jovial Carroll said before the game.
Carroll was very active in the first quarter, though his numbers didn’t show it. He finished with four points, two rebounds and a steal in 18 minutes.
“It’s an adjustment going to the four, but I can use my advantages — my quickness, being able to shoot the three — a little more,” he said.
DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 34 points. The Wizards racked up 33 assists in the win, with six players scoring in double digits.