Raptors Continue to Sputter in Heartbreaking Loss to Jazz

A lot has changed since the last time the Toronto Raptors played the Utah Jazz.

Back then the world was in a very different place. COVID-19 had just barely begun to really impact North America and coronavirus concerns were only starting to seep into NBA circles. Back then, on March 9, 2020, the Raptors were riding a six-game winning streak, 46-18, with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

“We were tough man, woo, we were good,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Friday night reflecting on that last meeting.

Oh, how things have changed. 

Fast forward just over a year and not only is the entire world, but those world-beaters that once dawned Toronto’s red and white have disappeared. The Raptors are just getting over their COVID-19 issues and their six-game winning streak from a year ago has been swapped for a seven-game losing streak this season as Toronto fell once again Friday night, 115-112 to the Jazz.

This was one the Raptors actually deserved to win. For the better part of 46 minutes Toronto outplayed the Jazz, but the referees couldn’t stop sending Utah to the line.

“A lot of calls, man. Every trip, every possession was free throws,” Nurse said. “We were twice as aggressive to me as them… moving faster, cutting harder, charging in further. We were twice the aggressor.”

Utah shot 35 for 41 from the free-throw line and made 27 more trips to the charity stripe than Toronto.

“it’s not the first time this year that one player has shot that many free throws against us and we have shot that few. But I guess we got to play better defence I guess or not foul as much, but whatever.

Even with the unfathomable free-throw disparity, the Raptors had a chance late. Pascal Siakam put up a contested 3-pointer as time expired and just like his other three game-tying or game-winning shots this season, this one rolled around the rim and refused to fall.

“I just think those things even out at some point usually in a season they even out,” Nurse said. So we got a lot of evening out to do which is good to look forward to.”

The good news for Toronto is that OG Anunoby is back after missing over two weeks in COVID-19 protocols. It was clear right from the jump how important he is to everything the Raptors do defensively. He spent most of his night whizzing around rotating between the Jazz’s most dominant scorers.

“OG is a really aggressive defender. Long arms. He’s really talented on the defensive end and gives us an opportunity to switch more,” Kyle Lowry said. “He can guard bigger players and he can disrupt a little bit more. Tonight we put him on Joe Ingles for Pascal and him to be able to switch the pick and roll and it did well. It’s one of those things when he’s back and going, we are a better team.”

The big surprise of the night was who would come off the bench first for Toronto. Nurse spoke pre-game about wanting to solidify his rotation and give his bench players some rope to show what they can do over the next few games. And after a season of watching Terence Davis, Matt Thomas, Stanley Johnson, and DeAndre’ Bembry’s inconsistencies, Nurse turned to Paul Watson Jr. and Malachi Flynn. It wasn’t particularly pretty from the two considering the Raptors bench was outscored 71-57 anytime one starter was on the bench.

That being said, Nurse said he wasn’t disappointed in their performances.

“They did OK. Yeah, they did good,” Nurse said. “I liked them, I liked them both tonight.”

Up Next: Cleveland Cavaliers

The Raptors will have a day off before commencing a back-to-back on Sunday night first in Cleveland and then on Monday night against the Houston Rockets.