Jonas Valanciunas set the Toronto Raptors franchise record for rebounds in a quarter on Friday, pulling in 11 boards in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic.
The record previously belonged to Reggie Evans, who hauled in 10 rebounds in a quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers in November of 2010. Evans also owns the team record for rebounds in a half with 15, while Donyell Marshall owns the franchise record with 24 rebounds in a game.
Valanciunas probably doesn’t have a shot at the game total, as foul trouble in the first half limited him to six minutes, during which he grabbed just two boards. He does have a chance to reach Evans’ 15 in a half, with a close game early in the fourth quarter likely necessitating his presence shortly. Valanciunas’ own personal best for rebounds came on April 11, 2014, when he hauled in 21 against the Knicks.
As of this writing, Valanciunas has eight points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks in 17 minutes. The Raptors lead by two and have been +13 with Valanciunas on the floor.
It’s little secret that Valanciunas is off to a great start this season. Entering play Friday, he was averaging career-highs of 15.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 29.4 minutes while shooting a career-best 60.4 percent. It’s an incredibly small sample, but it’s an encouraging way to begin his fourth NBA season.
