HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

Injuries have hit the Toronto Raptors roster in a big way this season and in Wednesday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, no less than five players were sitting out with various ailments. Starters Kyle Lowry, Andrea Bargnani and Landry Fields are currently sidelined along with regular rotation players Alan Anderson and Linas Kleiza.

Starting small forward Fields is still recovering from ulnar nerve transposition surgery on November 14 and will meet with surgeon Dr. Andrew Weiland in New York City for a second follow-up visit on Thursday. No timetable for his return has been provided, but the type of procedure Fields underwent suggests he should return sometime within the next month.

Starting point guard Lowry suffered a partial tear to his right triceps muscle on Monday in Portland. He is expected to return in about 10 days. Jose Calderon has assumed the starter’s role once again and put up a double-double in Wednesday’s loss to Brooklyn.

Monday was a bad night for Toronto as starting power forward Bargnani fell on his right elbow and suffered a ligament tear. He has also strained his right wrist. He is out indefinitely and this type of injury could take weeks or months to heal. Ed Davis got the start against Brooklyn and may have played the best game of his young career with a 24-point, 12-rebound, three-steal effort. Now in his third NBA season, Davis has been gaining popularity with Toronto fans and many people want to see what he can do with this opportunity.

Anderson was briefly Fields’ replacement, but he sustained a partially torn plantar fascia in his left foot on November 10. He is expected to practice on Thursday and return to the active roster for Friday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.

Kleiza has been bothered by the same knee that he had microfracture surgery on in 2011 and between his knee, hip and ankle, he has been in and out of the Raptors’ lineup all season. It is beginning to look like Kleiza’s availability will be day-to-day for a while. No update was provided by the team.

The Raptors were also without power forward Amir Johnson on Wednesday as he was suspended by the league for one game after throwing his mouthpiece in the direction of an official in Portland on Monday.

The Raptors had nine players available on Wednesday including rookie Quincy Acy who literally arrived as the game started after traveling all day to get there from Bakersfield. Acy had been assigned to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA D-League. Acy did not play in Wednesday’s game.

There should be at least 11 players available for Toronto’s game against Dallas on Friday with the anticipated return of Anderson and Johnson.