Portland, which tipped off a six-game homestand by losing 128-120 to OKC, was scheduled to play host to Houston on Friday night, while the Raptors began its four-game trip Thursday night by showing fight in Phoenix after getting torched early by the Suns.
Moral victories have become the name of the game for the Raptors and Blazers, teams that are joined at the hip when it comes to games lost and players lost to injury.After getting blown out by the Pelicans in what would be the worst home loss in franchise history, at least the Raptors didn’t endure a similar fate in the Valley of the Sun. But a loss was nonetheless produced, Toronto’s fourth in its past five games.For the Blazers, they took some solace in dropping close games to two of the West’s best in the T’Wolves and Thunder.You see it as a quote-unquote, win, in the aspect of being able to compete with them and keep it close,” said Blazers guard AnferneeSimons, who scored a combined 63 points against OKC and Minny after pouring in 30 in a Portland win over the Memphis Grizzlies.Obviously as a competitor, you’re like: ‘Nah, forget that, I want to win.’ As a team, I think we played good enough to win the game.”
The Raptors are not good and figure to be hard-pressed to win any game with the likes of Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl both sidelined with hand injuries.
Barnes is Toronto’s best player, its most valuable and indispensable. In a different way, Poeltl isn’t far behind — despite his lack of foot speed when trying to defend the perimeter that often leads to the paint getting compromised.The fact remains that the Raptors are 2-11 without Poeltl, who first injured an ankle during a West Coast trip when the team whipped the Warriors.Without Barnes, the Raptors are 1-2, with the lone win produced against the lowly Charlotte Hornets, who led late in Toronto.
Toronto has been rolling out units featuring names not even the most hardcore hoops fans would recognize immediately. Ditto the Blazers, who have doled out minutes to the likes of a Duop Retah, Rayan Rupert and Ashton Hagans.Heading into Friday night’s game against the visiting Rockets, Portland stood at 17-44. Heading into Saturday’s meeting, the Raptors sit at2-40.Numbers can get crunchedand interpreted to suit any narrative, but what has emerged with the Raptors of late has been the play of Immanuel Quickley.
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