The Raptors are as healthy as they’ve been all season, but their on-court results haven’t improved as of late. They fell to a banged-up Orlando team last Friday and were blown out by Milwaukee on Monday, with both losses coming at home. They’ve now dropped 13 of their last 14 games and have an 8-28 record on the season, the third-worst mark in the NBA.
Toronto has been below .500 since opening night, but the club was more competitive early in the season even while dealing with injuries to players like Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Kelly Olynyk, and Bruce Brown. With the Raptors healthier, head coach Darko Rajakovic may begin to face real pressure for the first time if the results don’t start to improve a little, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic.
For his part, Rajakovic said he’s confident his team will put forth a better effort than what it showed on Monday against the Bucks.
“(It’s the) middle of (a) long season. It’s guys coming back from injuries, guys being without rhythm, guys not playing together,” Rajakovic said. “Again, I don’t want any of those to sound like excuses. We’ve got to be much better in all of those areas. But at the same time, we work hard, and I believe that we’re gonna get out of this slump, and I think we’re gonna be able to play much higher level basketball than we showed (Monday).”
It won’t be easy for Toronto to turn things around in the short term. The club will play a back-to-back set on Wednesday and Thursday against the Knicks and Cavaliers before visiting the red-hot Pistons in Detroit on Saturday.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- In a separate story for The Athletic, Koreen evaluates a series of Raptors-related trade suggestions from readers, including hypothetical deals involving Jakob Poeltl, Chris Boucher, and Brown, among others.
- With minor health issues forcing a couple of the Knicks‘ top players to miss games within the last week, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post examines the team’s depth issue, noting that head coach Tom Thibodeau has shown little inclination to expand his rotation to nine players. Getting back a healthy Mitchell Robinson would help matters, according to Bondy, who adds that the club will also consider its options on the trade and buyout markets, though cap constraints will limit the front office’s options.
- Joel Embiid (left foot sprain), Paul George (left groin tightness), and Kyle Lowry (right hip soreness) will be unavailable for the Sixers on Wednesday when they host the Wizards, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. It’ll be the second consecutive missed game for both Embiid and Lowry.
- The absences of Embiid and George will delay the Sixers‘ ability to further work on the duo’s chemistry, Pompey writes in another story for The Inquirer. Head coach Nick Nurse said earlier this week that he doesn’t have enough data on Embiid’s and George’s two-man game yet and wants to prioritize getting them more reps together.
Fire M O R E Y
It’s amazing the dude is nowhere to be found. What a s**t organization!!! I hate Harris.
Trade Embiid, and yes. Don’t want Morey in control of a punch of picks.
Can’t trade Embiid till after the season…and I’m not sure who would trade for him
That’s what they said about George, Harden, Simmons and soon to be Butler.
— 4 1st rounders lol
He’s a counter. Doesn’t understand talent.
Knicks better win tonight. Everyone plays well in MSG.
OKC @ Cavs is their best chance game tonight….
See what OKC does against size …. Knicks were working it till they ran out of gas.
Cavs won — 32 — 4
Knicks won — 25 — 13
Sixers won — 15 — 20
Mitch Robinson by himself will not solve the Knicks depth issues. It is a roster problem, not a Thibs problem
There is no roster problem. How could they be 25-13. Mitch helps the depth and team D. And yes they do need a consistent scorer off bench. Means they should go after one. TJ Warren is avg 26 a gm in G-league. He just might do. I’d prefer a trade.
Raptors have overvalued Scottie Barnes for years.
A healthy Mitch (whatever that means) would solve the only serious problem the NYK have, which is defense. KAT is great, but he can’t anchor a top 10 defense, and the NYK won’t win much of anything meaningful without being one.
The so-called depleted bench is a discussion point, not a real issue. If and when either Mitch or McBride return, then, assuming no other injuries, there is plenty of depth to run a 9 man rotation. Right now, they can’t because they only have 11 veteran players on the standard roster (and two, Mitch and McBride, are out, and a 3rd, Sims, is deemed too dupblicative with Achiuwa).
They need a consistent scorer off bench. Team D is better. And Mitch makes it a top D. Knicks bench scoring is bottom 5.
Knicks don’t have a problem. Not yet. Even if we do nothing. Mitch makes them better. At worst he is at full strength by April. TJ Warren helps with bench scoring. Both could be ready to go for playoffs. Only issue here. Is Thibs not overworking his starters till they are on roster. And playing them.
Out of top teams in NBA —- Magic, Sixers, OKC,Mavs all will be well rested for playoffs.
The rest is why Thibs should be playing his bench now.
Out of top 25 mins leaders. Knicks starters lead in mins played by far. With four players in top 25.
Celtics have two — (9)Tatum, (17) Brown
Bucks have two — (8) Dame, (24) Giannis
Cavs have 10 players with 20 mins or more. Incredible. Mitchell leads with 31.4 mins
OKC none in top 25. SGA with (34.5) leads Thunder. Not in top 25.
Nuggets have two — (5) Jokic, (6) Murray
Rockets have one — (18) JVV
Grizz none in top 25.
Come playoff time. Who do you think will run out of gas first. I understand playing great athletes. But if you want them at their strongest at playoffs. And if you are looking to go top 4 top 2 in playoffs. You manage their mins. Seems only Knicks are playing their main guys mins.
link to si.com