Sport
Raptors go back to Toronto on shedding skid
TORONTO – It’s even changing into tricky for the normally sunny Darko Rajakovic to place a good gentle at the Toronto Raptors’ season.
The Raptors misplaced all 5 video games on a West Coast highway travel. losing Toronto into the very backside of the NBA standings with a 2-10 document. Rajakovic had set an positive tone for the crew at coaching camp but if the top trainer used to be requested on Thursday if everybody used to be nonetheless getting alongside within the locker room, he used to be direct.
“We’re in a rebuilding 12 months. We’re that specialize in creating our younger guys,” Rajakovic stated courtside on the OVO Athletic Centre. “As you’ll see within the video games, our guys are cheering for each and every different. They would like them to prevail. They would like their teammates to do neatly.
“We’ve were given to concentrate on daily. We can’t be having a look at wins and losses at this level. We’ve were given to concentrate on us getting higher.”
Rajakovic needed to rhyme off a litany of harm updates originally of his post-practice scrum with 5 key gamers inactive.
All-star ahead Scottie Barnes (proper orbital fracture), start line guard Immanuel Quickley (in part torn UCL), veteran ahead Bruce Brown (arthroscopic knee surgical operation), backup centre Kelly Olynyk (lumbar pressure) of Kamloops, B.C., and first-round decide Ja’Kobe Walter (proper shoulder sprain) will all most likely be unavailable when Toronto hosts the Detroit Pistons on Friday.
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All 5 participated in Thursday’s train to a point, then again.
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Barnes wore a masks at the courtroom however used to be no longer cleared for touch. Quickley used to be allowed to figure out however couldn’t use his left hand. Olynyk might be noticed taking layups however, together with Brown, used to be no longer cleared for touch. Walter did capturing drills as neatly and could have an replace on Tuesday.
“I’d say that the chemistry at the crew is in reality just right,” stated Rajakovic. “Guys are supporting each and every different. That doesn’t imply that we’re no longer pissed off, and that doesn’t imply that we don’t wish to win video games and do higher.”
One vibrant spot has been the play of sophomore swingman Gradey Dick.
He had a career-high 32 issues in Toronto’s 99-85 loss to the Greenbacks in Milwaukee. He’s moment simplest to RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., at the crew in scoring with 20.1 issues consistent with recreation.
Dick stated that everybody at the Raptors is operating to stick upbeat.
“Nobody is making an attempt to be down. Nobody desires to carry a nasty vibe to the locker room,” stated Dick, who averaged 18.8 issues over the five-game shedding skid. “I believe like the blokes that we’ve got in this crew and the chemistry that we have already got constructed, nobody’s gonna let each and every different do this.
“I believe like, the massive speaking level (this morning) used to be simply being resilient, and the significance of resilience.”
Dick’s development this season has been a pleasing wonder, buoyed through his greater mins with Quickley and Barnes out.
“I feel I’m simply locking in with the crew efforts and understanding what I wish to do for my function,” stated Dick, who would most likely be the fourth and even 5th scoring choice in Toronto’s beginning lineup if everybody used to be wholesome. “If some guys are out, then perhaps step up somewhere else.
“I believe like simply my power, I believe like I attempt to push it up and down the courtroom and acquire my offence from my defence.”
Rajakovic stated that it has helped that Dick has various his offence from simply being a spot-up shooter in his rookie season.
“He’s been extra in one of the crucial pick-and-rolls, bringing the ball in transition, and all of the ones are new issues for him,” stated the second-year head trainer. “We’re finding out up to he’s finding out on the similar time.”
Even if Barrett leads the Raptors with 21.3 issues consistent with recreation this season, he slumped thru Toronto’s highway travel with a mean of 15.4 issues on 33 consistent with cent field-goal proportion and a 19.4 consistent with cent three-pointer proportion.
“I feel that he’s been bettering in his pick-and-roll potency and decision-making, however numerous occasions he’s enjoying now within the paint with numerous period and no longer numerous shops, and that’s no longer serving to him or serving to us,” stated Rajakovic, noting that the absence of Barnes and Quickley is making it more straightforward for groups to double-team Barrett. “So I feel it’s part of his growth.
“He’s were given to discover ways to be in the ones scenarios and how one can play make in the ones scenarios.”
This file through The Canadian Press used to be first printed Nov. 14, 2024.
&reproduction 2024 The Canadian Press
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