Fred VanVleet is worried about what’s coming.

He fought hard with his new Houston Rockets training staff to be ready to go Friday night for his return to Toronto. Knowing him, it was an all-out assault. If there was any chance that he’d be good to go, he would have taken it. But it wasn’t to be. An adductor strain he suffered last Sunday will keep him sidelined against the Toronto Raptors.

“I was okay with that until I got here this morning,” VanVleet said as he sat opposite the Raptors benches following shootaround for the Rockets on Friday morning. “I’m a little bit sad. But all in all, just happy to be here. Just looking forward to being here tonight.”