The Toronto Raptors are having one of their worst seasons in a while.
The franchise is currently on pace for their fewest wins in a 82-game season since 2005-06.
Toronto is on a season-high 8 game losing steak and they have gone 1-9 in March.
With many of their key starters out, it is hard to see the Raptors winning many more games over their final 13 to close out the season.
The Raptors have committed to a rebuild and these growing pains were to be expected.
The challenge for head coach Darko Rajakovic is keeping his team playing hard even through all of these struggles.
Following a 123-89 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, Rajakovic was asked about the Raptors’ effort levels via Adam Laskaris of Daily Hive Toronto:
“Effort is up and down like any other team. There was definitely moments where the effort was not good enough. Especially when you’re committing turnovers and not getting back on defence. Highly disappointing. We’re trying to move the ball and mistakes happen, but we’ve still got to get back on defence and cover for each other and play hard.”
Toronto committed 21 turnovers in the game and they gave up 36 fast break points to Sacramento.
Toronto’s defensive effort has been bad as of late. Their defensive rating has dipped to 117.4, which ranks 24th in the league.
It is not going to get any easier for the Raptors. Nine of their final 13 games of the season are against teams with a winning record.
Next up for Raptors
Following their embarrassing performance against the Kings, the shorthanded Raptors will now have to deal with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City Thunder.
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