Raptors’ VanVleet, Ibaka out for game against Hornets, Powell ready to return

TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors ruled out guard Fred VanVleet and centre Serge Ibaka for their game Friday night against visiting Charlotte.

The Raptors had said Ibaka was questionable with a sore right knee prior to ruling him out. VanVleet is out with a sore left shoulder after he banged it on a screen in Toronto’s loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Toronto has been hard hit by injuries this season, with Ibaka, VanVleet, all-star forward Pascal Siakam, guard/forward Norman Powell, centre Marc Gasol and all-star point guard Kyle Lowry all missing a significant amount of time at some point.

There was some good news for the injury-plagued Raptors, who said Powell will return after missing nine games with a broken finger on his non-shooting hand. Powell will start in place of VanVleet. The Raptors will also have Patrick McCaw back after missing three games with an illness.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will start at centre for the Raptors, who are also missing Marc Gasol to a hamstring injury.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press