TORONTO — The primary half of the Toronto Raptors’ season ended the identical means it began — with a blowout loss at residence in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
TORONTO — The primary half of the Toronto Raptors’ season ended the identical means it began — with a blowout loss at residence in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Donovan Mitchell scored 21 factors to guide the Japanese Convention-leading Cavaliers to a 131-108 drubbing of the Raptors on Wednesday at Scotiabank Enviornment.
It mirrored the 136-106 win Cleveland kicked off the marketing campaign with again in October.
Toronto (17-38) now sits thirteenth within the Japanese Convention because it heads into all-star weekend on the Golden State Warriors’ Chase Middle in San Francisco, whereas Cleveland (44-10) is comfortably first.
Gradey Dick would be the lone Raptors’ consultant in California when he participates in Friday’s rrising stars sport.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley had been all chosen to the all-star sport with head coach Kenny Atkinson.
The remainder of the Raptors will take an eight-day break earlier than returning for the ultimate 27 video games of the season.
“I think it’s gonna be important, our mentality and our approach,” head coach Darko Rajakovic stated. “We gotta proceed creating. We have now loads of younger guys which can be getting very beneficial minutes.
“We have to perceive and see the large image of how these guys must develop and what it’s gonna imply for us sooner or later.”
Earlier Wednesday, Toronto introduced it had signed a multi-year extension with newcomer Brandon Ingram. The deal is reportedly for 3 years and price US$120 million.
The Raptors acquired the one-time all-star ahead from the New Orleans Pelicans ultimately Thursday’s commerce deadline in trade for Kelly Olynyk, Bruce Brown, and first- and second-round picks.
The 27-year-old Ingram is nursing a sprained left ankle and stated he isn’t positive when he’ll be able to make his Raptors debut.
When he does, the primary order of enterprise will probably be establishing chemistry with the Raptors’ core gamers.
“I wish to simply get on the market and play basketball,” Ingram stated in a pre-game press convention Wednesday. “It has been some time since I have been again on the ground. And I believe the adrenalin, I am gonna be excited to play. I believe I am going to be capable of simply slot in anyplace.
“Of course I like to have the basketball in my hands, but also, I like to pass too. Going on the floor with high-IQ guys, it always helps. And I think our team has a lot of high-IQ guys.”
Canada’s RJ Barrett, who led the Raptors with 27 factors in opposition to the Cavs, smiled when requested in regards to the addition of Ingram.
“It’s big time, you get a player like that coming here. It’s huge for us, huge for the organization,” stated Barrett, who returned after lacking 4 video games as a result of concussion protocols.
“We’re happy to have him here and once he’s able to play and we get to see what it’s like with all of us out there, I’m sure it’ll be a fun time.”
The ultimate stretch of the season will doubtless see elevated taking part in time for Toronto’s 5 rookies — Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, Jamal Shead, Ulrich Chomche and Jamison Battle.
Battle, who lately signed his personal three-year contract with the crew, led the freshmen with 11 factors in opposition to the Cavaliers.
Chomche battled in opposition to Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in Toronto’s 106-103 victory on Tuesday. He then rotated and performed for Raptors 905 of the NBA’s G League on Wednesday morning in Mississauga, Ont.
“He’s learning what it takes to be professional and how to approach every day with the same desire and mentality,” Rajakovic stated.
With the sport in opposition to the Cavaliers nicely out of hand and the shot clock turned off within the dying seconds, Canadian Cavaliers ahead Tristan Thompson scored a garbage-time layup that caught the ire of the Raptors.
After the ultimate buzzer, Shead met Thompson at midcourt whereas followers loudly booed.
“I think what Tristan did there was no class and disrespectful. I’m not gonna stand for that for sure and I’m really glad that our guys, our players, from Jamal — who was on the court and Scottie and everybody else — that they stood up for themselves,” Rajakovic stated.
“I love when my team stands up for themselves.”
It’s that sort of spirit the coach hopes will set in each day over the remainder of the yr — and into subsequent season, too.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Feb. 12, 2025.
Myles Dichter, The Canadian Press
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