All-star forward Scottie Barnes is out with a fractured right orbital bone.
The Toronto Raptors say Barnes’s injury will be re-evaluated in three weeks’ time.
Barnes took an elbow to his eye from Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic with 24 seconds left in the fourth quarter in Monday’s game.
Denver scored at the other end of the court as Barnes dropped to his knees in pain.
The Nuggets went on to complete the comeback with a 127-125 overtime win over the Raptors.
Barnes is averaging 19.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, six assists and two steals over four games this season.
He was named to his first all-star team last campaign behind career highs of 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists.
Barnes broke a finger against the Golden State Warriors on March 1 and missed the rest of the season after he had surgery to repair it.
Toronto has had to deal with numerous significant injuries early in 2024-25. Starting point guard Immanuel Quickley missed his third game Monday after sustaining a right pelvic contusion in Toronto’s season opener.
Guard Ja’Kobe Walter (shoulder), forward Bruce Brown (knee) and centre Kelly Olynyk (back) have yet to suit up.
Swingman RJ Barrett returned Monday after missing the first three games of the season with a sprained shoulder.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2024.