The Toronto Raptors lost starting center Jonas Valanciunas to a hand injury in Friday’s win against the Los Angeles Lakers. The big man suffered a fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his non-shooting hand.
According to Yahoo Sports, rather than opt for surgery, Valanciunas has decided to go with the rehab route. This means that the 7-footer will likely miss about six weeks as he recovers from the injury.
The Raptors, who are 8-6 to start the season, will likely look to start backup center Bismack Biyombo while also seeking additional contributions from Anthony Bennett, the former first overall pick who has been unable to gain any consistent minutes thus far into the season.
The Raptors are looking to take the next step after first round playoff exits in each of the last two seasons. Losing Jonas Valanciunas for an extended amount of time could make that a more difficult endeavor.
