Jonas Valančiūnas injured in preseason game

Jonas Valančiūnas left Žalgiris Kaunas' preseason game against Baku Sabah after just three minutes, raising concern over an injury to the center who had led the team in its opening warm-up matches.

Valančiūnas collided with teammate Marius Grigonis near the end of the first quarter and left the court. He appeared to have bruised his calf. On the bench, he removed his shoes and did not return before halftime.

After the break, Valančiūnas remained in the locker room while staff cooled the injured area. The seriousness of the injury was not yet known.

The Utena-born center had started the game and drew a foul during his brief appearance. It was Žalgiris' third preseason match. The Lithuanian champions won their first two, beating Riga Zelli 97-85 and Utenos Juventus 82-77. Valančiūnas was the clear leader in both games, averaging 17 points and nine rebounds.