Sad news:Toronto Raptors star player has just been suspended…

Chriss will forfeit $22,000 and will serve a one-game suspension for punching Ibaka.

Ibaka has been suspended for three games in a row for punching out since 2017. The first two were for a single game each. In 2017, Ibaka was also suspended by the team for one game following an altercation with a member of the Raptors staff.

The six-foot-10, 235-pound Ibaka will be absent from the Los Angeles Lakers game on Thursday night, the Detroit Pistons game on Sunday, and the New York Knicks game on Monday.

After he and Chriss fought for position beneath Cleveland’s basket and the Raptors attempted a full-court pass that went out of bounds, Ibaka went to the floor.

Ibaka gave Chriss a backhand, grabbed him close to the neck, and then punched him. Before players from both teams could physically separate the two, Chriss retaliated with a punch. Ibaka made his way straight to the locker room, and after the officials conferred, both players were dismissed.

Ibaka was previously suspended by the NBA for altercations with Robin Lopez of the Brooklyn Nets in 2016–17 and James Johnson of the Miami Heat in the previous season.

The Raptors’ problems persist as VanVleet and Bembry receive one-game suspensions.

Another setback has been dealt to the Toronto Raptors.

After a recent on-court altercation, guard Fred VanVleet and guard/forward DeAndre Bembry were given one game suspensions. This is bad news for the struggling Raptors, who have fallen down the Eastern Conference standings in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak.

Toronto’s roster for Thursday night’s game against the visiting Chicago Bulls was reduced to eight players, the league minimum, due to suspensions and injuries.

As you might expect, it’s a little challenging with eight. Before tipoff, coach Nick Nurse stated, “We just try to keep guys from going too long extended.”

The altercation that took place late in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 110-101 victory over Toronto on Tuesday at Amalie Arena resulted in a $30,000 US fine for forward OG Anunoby. After grabbing Dennis Schroder by the leg and “recklessly flipping him to the ground after the two became entangled following a common foul committed by Schroder,” Anunoby was given a technical foul and was eventually ejected, according to an NBA statement.

VanVleet and Bembry were suspended for getting off the bench. Bembry was supposed to serve out his suspension on Thursday night. VanVleet, who has missed the previous two games due to a hip injury, will have to serve out his suspension in the following regular-season game that he is able to play in.

Some assistance is on its way. Freddie Gillespie, a forward, signed a 10-day contract with the Raptors. The six-foot-nine Gillespie played in 15 games with the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle, averaging 10.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. He had six double-doubles and shot 57% from the field.

The nurse was unsure of the newcomer’s availability.

“All that needs to be done is get him through the procedures and testing. As soon as he does that, we bring him in, get him working, and figure out what we can teach him in time for the game so he can go outside and perform some basic functions “, stated Nurse.

After being waived by Orlando, Canadian forward Khem Birch is reportedly expected to sign a contract with the Raptors as well.

During the season, the native of Montreal is averaging 5.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 20 minutes per game. Birch participated in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China as a player for Nurse on the Canadian national team.

The Raptors were two games behind the Bulls for tenth place in the Eastern Conference heading into their meeting with Chicago on Thursday, having lost seven of their previous ten games. The collapse occurred in March following the absence of three starters and several others due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

Kyle Lowry, the starting guard, missed his sixth game on Thursday due to a foot infection as well.

For his part, Montrezl Harrell was fined $20,000 for entering the altercation and pushing Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr., while Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker was suspended for one game.