The Toronto Raptors might enter shorthanded in Game 2 of their first round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Head coach Nick Nurse revealed on Sunday that Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent Jr. and Thad Young were listed doubtful in the team’s injury list (hat tip to ESPN’s Tim Bontempts). The second game is set to happen on Monday inside the Wells Fargo Center, and the three mentioned players will be under monitoring.
Per TSN’s Josh Lewenberg, Trent Jr. didn’t participate in Toronto’s practice because of a non-COVID illness.
Meanwhile, Barnes, who left prematurely in the Game 1 loss because of an ankle injury, is waiting for his MRI results today if there’s structural damage. The same goes for Young, who also had an MRI to check his left thumb sprain.
The possible absence of the three will be a huge blow offensively and defensively for the underdog Raptors, as Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and James Harden came up huge to claw first blood in the best-of-seven series.