Jonas Valanciunas Injury Update: Raptors Center Ruled Out for Heat Series

The Toronto Raptors will be without center Jonas Valanciunas for the remainder of their second-round series against the Miami Heat, the team announced Sunday, as a result of the sprained right ankle he suffered in Saturday's Game 3.

Valanciunas suffered the injury in the third quarter of Toronto's 95-91 Game 3 victory at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Raptors took a 2-1 series lead but will be without their starting center at least until the Eastern Conference Finals should they make it that far.

Thus far, Valanciunas has been a vital component to the Raptors' best playoff run since 2001. Through 10 playoff games, the big man has averaged 15.0 points and 12.1 rebounds, including 13.6 points and 11.9 rebounds in 26.3 minutes per contest during Toronto's opening-round series against the Indiana Pacers. With All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan each shooting below 35 percent from the field throughout the postseason, the Raptors have desperately needed the big man's offensive production.

Toronto likely won't be the only team missing its starting center for the time being, however. On Sunday, the Heat announced Hassan Whiteside is day to day with a sprained MCL in his right knee, per ESPN.com's Tom Haberstroh. Though the team has listed him as day to day, "the typical recovery time from such injuries is at least a couple of weeks," Haberstroh noted.

Unlike Miami, the Raptors have a formidable backup center in Bismack Biyombo, who has averaged 7.7 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game in the playoffs. Biyombo won't be able to replicate Valanciunas' ability to score in the post and his presence on the offensive glass, however. The former No. 5 overall pick has averaged a team-best 4.4 offensive rebounds in the postseason. 

Whiteside's absence should help Toronto survive Valanciunas' injury, but it's important for Lowry and DeRozan to have their best games in Game 4. A victory would give the Raptors a chance to close out the series in Game 5 in Toronto on Wednesday.

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.