Toronto came into the season short handed after losing key players like Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green during the offseason, and now, they'll have to pay the price for those losses.
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry and center Serge Ibaka will be out indefinitely after suffering injuries against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Lowry fractured his left thumb and the team said Saturday he will be re-evaluated in two weeks. This isn’t the first time that Lowry has struggled with a thumb injury but Koreen reports that the latest setback isn’t related to the one that required surgery to fix over the summer. Lowry is averaging 21.8 points and 6.5 assists this season.
Appearing ESPN's The Jump episode, Lowry said, "During the game, I couldn't feel my thumb."
On the other hand, Ibaka sprained his right ankle and will undergo additional imaging in Los Angeles. The Spanish Center has been crucial for Nick Nurse's squad this year, recording 14.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
With both players out, Pascal Siakam will have to emerge as the leader of the team if the Raptors want to maintain their spot inside the best eight teams of the Eastern Conference. Toronto's depth and player-development will be tested, having players like Norman Powell, OG Anunoby and Terence Davis playing important minutes down the stretch.