Fred VanVleet leaves game with back tightness

What is happening?

Okay, it’s time to put everyone in bubble wrap until the playoffs.

On the heels of Norman Powell surviving an ankle sprain scare and Lucas Nogueira leaving Sunday’s game with hamstring tightness, Fred VanVleet is now done for the game, as well. VanVleet left in the second quarter and was ruled out due to back tightness shortly before half.

This is probably a case of the team being extremely cautious so close to the playoffs. DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas are already resting, and there’s not much sense asking VanVleet or Nogueira to push it in a largely meaningless game, even if it does leave the team thinned out. They’re down to eight players for the second half, as four players are on assignment with Raptors 905, too.

Here’s hoping everything is minor and this is all very precautionary.