CLEVELAND -- Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram exited Wednesday night's 125-120 loss in Game 5 against the Cavaliers because of right heel inflammation.
Ingram sat out three games because of a foot injury during the final month of the season and aggravated it in the second quarter while trying to drive past Evan Mobley before a turnover.
Ingram played 11 minutes and went 0-of-2 from the field before he left with 7:32 remaining in the second quarter and went to the locker room. He finished with one point, two assists and one rebound.
"He reaggravated the heel on one play," Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said after the game. "We tried to re-tape him. At halftime, he tried to activate to see if he could be ready for the second half, and he was not ready to come and play in the second half. Tomorrow we'll know more when we do more evaluations."
Ingram has struggled shooting during the series, averaging 14.8 points and making 33.9% of his shots through the first four games.
But although Toronto led Cleveland 74-67 at halftime and took a 103-100 lead into the fourth quarter, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes said Ingram's absence was notable for the team down the stretch.
"We needed him out there on the floor," Barnes said. "The way they guard him, his shotmaking ability when he's out there on the floor. He makes big plays for us on the defensive end as well."
After the loss, the Raptors trail the Eastern Conference first-round series 3-2.
Toronto was already playing without starting point guard Immanuel Quickley, who was ruled out for the series because of a hamstring injury that occurred during the final game of the regular season.
Barnes also was hit in his quad during a drive toward the basket in the second quarter, which he said affected him for the rest of the game. He finished with 17 points on 6-of-16 shooting, 11 assists and eight rebounds.
"Obviously, it had some effect," Barnes said. "I couldn't play with that same pace that I was trying to play with. Had a little limp out there, but I was trying to push through it, trying to win the game.
"I can't do nothing about it. Just got to get some recovery, let it rest a little bit and be ready Friday."
