Jonas Valanciunas suffers ankle injury vs. 76ers

Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas suffered a left ankle sprain in Saturday's contest against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Valanciunas came down awkwardly after Sixers forward Dario Saric went over the back on a rebound attempt late in the second quarter. Saric's foot slid beneath Valanciunas, which caused an awkward twist once the large Lithuanian landed.

Despite being visibly hobbled, Valanciunas stayed in the game to shoot free throws and play another two possessions before finally checking out and heading straight down the tunnel for medical attention before halftime. He did not return for the second half.

He finished with five points and four rebounds in 15 minutes and was a minus-four.

The Raptors turned to Brazilian center Lucas Nogueira to finish the second half. Nogueira had 10 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks during his energetic 16-minute stint.

Toronto is well-stocked at center, so the team can afford to be patient with Valanciunas as it heads west for a six-game road trip. Nogueira and Jakob Poeltl can both start in a pinch, while Serge Ibaka can also slide up a position without a problem.