It looked like a relatively minor incident, but it still sent shock waves through the Toronto Raptors organization and its fans. Centre Jonas Valanciunas bumped with teammate Rudy Gay after a tipoff during Tuesday night’s 101-98 win over the Bulls in Chicago. He came away from the collision holding his neck and appearing dazed.
A neck brace was put on the 20-year-old Lithuanian rookie, who was taken from the court on a stretcher and examined at Bush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago. Valanciunas was diagnosed with a flexion extension — essentially whiplash — and is due to be reassesed on his return to Toronto on Thursday. The Raptors aren’t scheduled to play again until Friday, when they host the Bulls in the conclusion of the home-and-home series.
The incident is about the only blemish on what has been a productive and positive initial campaign for Valanciunas. The 6-foot-11 230-pounder was named the NBA’s top rookie in March after averaging 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.07 blocks and 27.1 minutes during the month.
“He’s (a) great kid and that’s what makes him such a joy to work with,” said Raptors coach Dwane Casey in an interview. “He’s a positive guy and that’s what you want your organization to be about, a guy who is positive, upbeat. … This league is about frustration, there’s always something that’s going to be happening in this league that you can gravitate to on the negative side, and he gravitates to the positive and that’s why he’s going to be a longtime NBA player.”
Valanciunas has been a bright spot for a team which has needed them. Yet he isn’t the only one: the trade for Rudy Gay, which was initially greeted with skepticism and even derision, has proved to be a bonus for the team as Gay took a leadership role with his on-court play. Yet injuries continue to block the Raptors’ progress, especially to point guard Kyle Lowry and a season-ender to forward Andrea Bargnani (right elbow). Even there, Valanciunas proved his value as he proved valuable in the low post in Bargnani’s absence.
His biggest issue has been foul trouble — 2.9 per game — but as his minutes increased from 23 to 27 in March, the number of fouls he took stayed relatively level (3.0). At least one pundit has projected Valanciunas to be a candidate for a breakout season in 2013-14, and that the centre “should be outstanding in 2-3 years.” That has to be music to the ears of general manager Bryan Colangelo, who needs the products of his latest rebuild to come through. It looks like they can — if they can stay off the disabled list.
