The Raptors dropped their second straight game to a below-.500 team on Sunday night against the Pistons as the Raptors collapsed in the fourth quarter to let the Pistons rally back from a 16-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to win 102-101.
This was the third time in the last six games that the Raptors have blown a lead going into the fourth quarter, and after a 4-6 stretch, Toronto has slid to the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference, six games behind the Cavs and only a half-game up on the Hawks in fifth. The Raptors star point guard Kyle Lowry is among those that have been the most frustrated by the recent skid, and those frustrations came out in his post-game comments.
Kyle Lowry: "Something gotta give, something gotta change" What? "I have an idea but I’mma keep my mouth shut, keep it professional"
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) February 13, 2017
It’s clear that Lowry is speaking of someone in particular, and in trying to read the tea leaves of “I have an idea, but I’mma keep my mouth shut and be professional,” it seems that he’s insinuating coach Dwayne Casey is the thing that needs changing. Lowry appears out of ideas for what the Raptors can do aside from simply playing harder.
Is it fixable? Lowry: "I don’t know. We ain’t got no choice but to go out here & work as hard as we can for each other in this locker room"
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) February 13, 2017
Lowry: "We gotta play harder I guess. I guess that’s what will be said. We gotta got out there and find ways to execute down the stretch."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) February 13, 2017
DeMar DeRozan agreed with Lowry that something had to change for the Raptors, and would welcome help via the trade deadline.
DeRozan, told of Lowry's comments and asked what needs to change: "I don't know, but something. Something."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) February 13, 2017
DeRozan doubles down on his comments re: trade deadline from the other day: "If help is an option, why not?"
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) February 13, 2017
The Raptors can see their hopes of another run to the Eastern Conference Finals dwindling away as the Celtics and Wizards each have hit their stride recently to move ahead of the Raptors in hot pursuit of the Cavs. Toronto is the worst of the five top teams in the East against fellow Eastern Conference foes (19-11) and are only 9-9 in the East outside of the Atlantic division (which includes the Nets, Knicks and Sixers).
Lowry and DeRozan aren’t in the wrong to want change, but I’m not sure the problem would be solved with a coaching move. The Raptors are in desperate need of someone in the frontcourt that can be a legitimate scoring threat opposite Lowry and DeRozan, who average nearly 50 points combined. Without that added dimension, the ceiling of how far this team as constructed can go seems to be capped.
