An optimist will point to the three days in between tips afforded the Raptors to work out the kinks.
A pessimist will argue no amount of days off is sufficient to address the mounting issues surrounding this roster.
And, in the middle, resides the realist.
If only it were this easy when trying to assess this Raptors side.
It hasn’t been pretty, the latest evidence provided Monday night when the Raptors never led against visiting Memphis, which was depleted and yet managed to manhandle a home side that showed its hand from the jump when it brought no energy or intensity.
The Raptors now regroup before they play host Friday night to the Clippers, a legitimate contender that entered Tuesday night’s battle of L.A. having won 10 of their past 12 games.
The Clippers will be in Boston on Saturday night to face a Celtics team that throttled them 145-108 on Dec. 23.
Perhaps Friday’s visit to Scotiabank Arena may turn into one of those proverbial trap games for the Clippers, who might be looking ahead to their date in Boston.
Either way, the chances of the Raptors ending their three-game losing slide (only Washington has lost more games in succession entering Tuesday’s play) won’t be easy.
Once Friday’s game is officially in the books, the Raptors will then embark on a six-game trip that tips off Sunday in Dixie against the host Hawks.
On their most recent six-game trip, the Raptors went 2-4. That was a stretch that would see the team lose Jakob Poeltl to an ankle injury, head coach Darko Rajakovic lose control when he went off on the officials — though his post-game rant did have its merits — following a loss to the Lakers.
