Toronto Raptors: Frustrations Boil Over After Fourth Quarter Collapse Against Pistons
The Toronto Raptors superstar duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan voiced their frustrations following Sunday’s 102-101 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
The Toronto Raptors were sitting pretty with a comfortable 15-point lead over the Detroit Pistons and just under nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Everything was going well. The Raptors were scoring efficiently, they were holding the Pistons to under 40 percent from the field, all signs pointed towards a W, which would have made Toronto winners in three of their last four games.
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However, things started to unravel for the Raptors and with 7:58 left in the game, the Pistons suddenly cut Toronto’s 15-point lead down to eight. Then the lead shrunk to five, then to three, then to two, and then, courtesy of a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope three with 13 seconds left, Toronto’s lead turned into a one-point deficit.
DeMar DeRozan had a chance to win the game on the final possession, but the Raptors, true to form, ran a predictable isolation play for DeRozan and the Pistons easily defended it. The whole quarter was a nightmare for the Raptors, but the last seven to nine minutes were truly mortifying to watch.
As if the fan base wasn’t already in a mass panic, Kyle Lowry and DeRozan, more specifically Lowry, added fuel to an already raging inferno with their post-game comments.
If Lowry is starting to get worried, well, you should be too, although I’m sure you already were. You can say Lowry was speaking out of frustration, but it’s clear he was throwing shade at the coaching staff and roster construction of this team.
Lowry and Dwane Casey got into a heated exchange in the fourth quarter and Lowry was very animated when he was arguing with Casey. Perhaps the typical iso play call at the end of the game was Lowry’s breaking point? Either way, it’s clear there is a disconnect between Casey and Lowry right now.
DeRozan didn’t sound off like Lowry did, but his post-game comments were candid and to the point. The Raptors need help.
Whether that be through a trade, a coaching shakeup, or a roster shakeup, is debatable, but something has to change. This team is obviously better than what they’ve shown during this slump, but the scary part is that this seems to be creeping into the players’ minds.
Being frustrated is one thing, but arguments on the sidelines, post-game comments questioning the roster, calling for help, those all sound like deep-rooted issues that are slowly starting to impact the psyche of this team.
Next: Raptors Interested in Serge Ibaka, or Someone Like Him
This isn’t a warning to say the season is over, but the foundation of winning is generally built on good habits. Perhaps the Raptors need to take a long look in the mirror and reinvent their day-to-day habits, or remove those who have bad habits, because right now they’ve adopted the worst habit of all — losing.