After another tight loss, short-handed Raptors need to determine what they need with NBA trade deadline around the corner

Taking part in actually good video games in opposition to actually good groups has turn out to be one thing of a trademark for the Raptors this season.

So, too, has falling simply wanting late.

A evident defensive lapse within the remaining minute led to a Luka Doncic three-pointer that led the Dallas Mavericks to a 102-98 win over Toronto in one other super effort by the Raptors that simply fell quick.

It was the fourth tight sport the Raptors have performed in opposition to a high tier or red-hot staff in every week. And after slim losses to Phoenix and Miami and a win in Milwaukee, Toronto misplaced to a Dallas staff that had received 9 of its previous 10 video games.

Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes one way or the other didn't keep hooked up to Doncic on a crucial possession with 61 seconds left and Doncic accomplished a 41-point night time with a three-point dagger.

It was one other nice sport by a short-handed group of Raptors, who fell to .500 on the season with their third loss in 4 video games.

Six of the seven Raptors who performed scored in double figures however they may not deal with Doncic or convert a handful of halfcourt alternatives within the closing minutes.

The Raptors as soon as once more solely used seven gamers — coach Nick Nurse has clearly misplaced all confidence in Yuta Watanabe, Svi Mykhailiuk, Dalano Banton and Malachi Flynn proper now — and performed the Mavs robust all night time.

Pascal Siakam had 20 factors, OG Anunoby 19 and Fred VanVleet had 18 factors and 12 assists.

Nurse did maintain out hope that Gary Trent Jr. would return on Friday after lacking six video games with a swollen ankle and, if the coach continues to make use of Justin Champagnie off the bench, it would at the very least lengthen the rotation by one.

“(Trent) goes by means of just about all of the staff actions and (is) simply not fairly comfy sufficient but,” Nurse mentioned earlier than the sport. “Nonetheless has some discomfort altering instructions, issues like that..

“The report they gave me tonight was he’s gonna work out pregame tonight, work out tomorrow and be prepared for Washington however that’s sort of been the report for the final about three video games. So I assume we're simply sort of day-to-day wait and see and hopefully he’ll be again.”

Trent’s absence, and the very fact Khem Birch is probably going out one other week with a damaged nostril, has led Nurse to make use of a naked minimal of gamers.

He knew this was coming — he’s removed from the one one which did — however the complexities of this distinctive NBA season are going to proceed to mess with plans within the second half.

For numerous causes — COVID, the standard run-of-the-mill accidents, the toll of the primary full 82-game season because the Raptors received the 2018-19 NBA Finals — depth was going to be a precedence across the league this season, the Raptors can’t make certain whether or not they have it or not and it’s going to cloud no matter it's they could do earlier than the Feb. 10 commerce deadline.

If everybody may get settled into roles for even just a few weeks they could know however that appears to be not doable. The Raptors have solely had the total roster accessible for a few video games within the first 41 of the season and the jumble, the shifting bits and items round continuously hasn’t allowed them to seek out out what they are surely.

“I hope we are able to preserve our guys on the ground as a result of we wish to construct this yr and we want them on the market to construct” Nurse mentioned.

The questions are many if everybody — and even a big majority of the staff’s high gamers can be found.

They could discover out whether or not, as an example, Watanabe is an effective depth piece however they don’t know as a result of he’s been out and in of the lineup, a starter and a key rotation piece an finish rotation spot-filler.

Similar with Birch and Treasured Achiuwa. Which is the higher starter or are each suited and able to backup roles?

Can Mykhailiuk play or not? Is he okay at eight minutes an evening or three as a result of he hasn’t thrived being thrust right into a extra substantial position with all of the roster juggling the Raptors have needed to do.

Can Champagnie deal with small minutes together with his power however offensive limitations; having him as considered one of two backups accessible every night time in Nurse’s rotation underscores his taking pictures liabilities.

“I assume we’re nonetheless studying daily,” Siakam mentioned this week. “Hopefully we are able to get everybody again … that’s type been the battle to our season.

“I really feel like we’re taking turns, however hopefully fairly quickly everybody can get everybody again and sort of see what we appear like.”