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Toronto Raptors forward Andrea Bargnani puts up a shot against Boston Celtics forward Jermaine O'Neal (R) during the first half of their pre-season NBA basketball game in Toronto December 18, 2011. The Raptors face the Indiana Pacers in their regular season-opener on Wednesday.MIKE CASSESE/Reuters

The Toronto Raptors are not certain if Andrea Bargnani will be available to play Tuesday night when they face the Denver Nuggets at the Air Canada Centre.

The 7-foot forward missed Sunday's contest against the New Orleans Hornets after coming down with flu-like symptoms just prior to the opening tip.

Bargnani was absent from practice on Monday and Toronto coach Dwane Casey said the player was not present for the team's shootaround at the ACC on Tuesday morning.

"He's still feeling the affects of the flu," Casey said. "It will be a game-time decision for him."

Bargnani's presence would be a boost for the Raptors going up against a big and offensively explosive Denver team, one of the NBA's elite outfits this season.

"The thing about it, they're an up and down team," Casey said. "They're going to score 107, 106 points a game. They want a loose game. They're going to let you score, they've given up over 100 points a game.

"So they want an offensive type game. They've very lethal, they're very good at it."

Denver ranks third overall in the NBA in points per game (105), while leading the league in rebounding (45.8).

Casey said the Raptors, to be successful, have to make sure they get back in transition and guard their man.

"One-on-one defence is going to be huge because they rely on the draw and kick game and then once the shot goes up they're No. 1 in the league in offensive rebounds," Casey said. "So we got to make sure we go find a body, keep them off the boards."

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