Is Fred VanVleet playing tonight? Raptors point guard's availability for Lakers clash

The LA Lakers will face NBA champions Toronto Raptors on Saturday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Arena. The Lakers vs Raports clash, which is scheduled to begin at 8:30 pm local time (Sunday, 6 AM IST) is bound to be an enthralling encounter between the two NBA heavyweights. However, there was some concern around the Fred VanVleet injury prior to the NBA suspension, with Raptors fans stressing over his fitness for the restart.

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Is Fred VanVleet playing tonight vs Lakers? Fred VanVleet injury update

Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet missed a number of games this season due to a recurring hamstring issue. Earlier this year in January, VanVleet missed five games in a row due to a hamstring problem. Although VanVleet made a comeback later that month, the 26-year-old sprained his left shoulder in February after running into Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

Since then, VanVleet did not play a single minute for the Raptors in their next six games. This led to a number of concerned fans believing that the Fred VanVleet injury might be extremely serious. However, VanVleet has trained with the Raptors at the NBA bubble and following a near five-month break, the NBA star appears ready to play for the Raptors again.

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When is Fred VanVleet coming back? Fred VanVleet return timeline

Following his shoulder injury, Fred VanVleet revealed that he was recovering well and the NBA suspension has clearly worked in favour of VanVleet for the Raptors star to return to action without any hurry. VanVleet took part in the three scrimmages at the NBA bubble and reports indicate he is raring to go. VanVleet is expected to be in the roster for the clash against the Lakers on Saturday. The Raptors have won their previous 10 encounters against the Lakers

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The Toronto Raptors will play their first game at the NBA bubble on Saturday. The NBA champions are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference standings but will be hoping to register a win against the Western Conference leaders. VanVleet played a vital role in guiding the Raptors to the NBA championship last season and manager Nick Nurse will hope that VanVleet's injury woes are now behind him as they look to mount a repeat.

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Image Credits - Fred VanVleet Instagram