Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet needed seven stitches after taking an elbow to the face in the fourth quarter on Friday, but he was more upset about damaging a tooth.
"If that's what being a Canadian is, I don't think I want it," VanVleet said with a smile after the game. "You know I don't play hockey, I've got a lot of respect for those guys and what they do, but you know, losing a tooth is not fun. Obviously, the stitches I could deal with, but I was more upset that I could have the remnants of my teeth floating around in my mouth as I was laying there on the ground."
VanVleet's face was left bloodied by the elbow of Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston, who was coming down after a layup attempt, with 9:35 left in the fourth quarter of the Raptors' 105-92 win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
The stitches repaired the cut under VanVleet's eye, but he did not suffer a concussion. He left the game after scoring eight points in 29 minutes.
A piece of tooth initially remained on the court after the guard was helped up, but it was eventually returned to him.
VanVleet went back to the bench after getting treatment and was available to check back into the game, but he was not needed, as the Raptors cruised to victory to take a 3-1 series lead.
"Hopefully by the next time you guys see me, I'll have it fixed. Took a nice shot there," he said. "Unfortunately, it took me out of the game. But I was trying to hurry up, get it stitched up and be back on the bench with the guys. And they took care of business."
