Raptors’ Malachi Flynn out indefinitely with hamstring strain

Raptors point guard Malachi Flynn is out indefinitely after suffering a strained left hamstring, the team announced. The injury occurred during Toronto’s 103-97 loss to Orlando Friday night. He had a season-high 20 points and tied a season-high with eight assists in the game.

It’s a very unfortunate setback for the second-year guard, who’s had arguably the best four-game stretch of his young career filling in for injured All-Star Fred VanVleet. In Flynn’s past four games, all starts, he’s averaging 16 points, four rebounds, 5.5 assists and one steal per game on .571/.500/.556 shooting. Remarkably, he only had one turnover over the four contests, good for a 22/1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Flynn, 23, was the 29th overall pick of the 2020 draft. He’s struggled to crack Toronto’s rotation this season, but coach Nick Nurse recently praised his effort and gave Flynn significant playing time — 35.6 minutes per night — in VanVleet’s absence.

Strangely, Flynn had previously been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Cleveland. Now he’s out indefinitely, Michael Grange of Sportsnet observes (via Twitter). As Grange notes, it’s terrible timing for both the player and the team, as the Raptors have an extremely difficult schedule coming up, with eight of their next nine games on the road — mostly against teams vying for the playoffs.

With Flynn and VanVleet both sidelined, rookie Dalano Banton and the newly signed Armoni Brooks could get extended playing time for the Raptors, currently 34-29, seventh in the East.