The Raptors will be without guard Fred VanVleet for Game 1 of the NBA playoffs against the Wizards, the team announced Saturday.
VanVleet has been dealing with shoulder soreness and there was a chance he would be able to play after X-rays came back negative earlier this week. However, it appears Toronto doesn't want to risk playing him and making the injury worse.
The guard exited Toronto's regular-season finale Wednesday after colliding with the Heat's Bam Adebayo in the 116-109 loss. Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters Thursday VanVleet would be day-to-day.
Toronto enters the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time in franchise history, and VanVleet's contributions off the bench have been a large reason for the team's successful season.
