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The Raptors were reduced to killing on the road, a four-game stretch that would see the undersized and undermanned team lose every game.
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The smell of defeat had a real chance of dissipating Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena, where the Raptors finished their trip with a matchup against the 11-win Detroit Pistons.
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Victory No. 12 would be achieved by a team that had beaten the Raptors at Motown on December 30 when NBA infamy had been avoided.
It was a two-point victory for the Pistons on the same day the Raptors traded five players to the New York Knicks.
The last meeting was not close, especially in the second half.
In the end, the Pistons won 113-104, inflicting their fifth consecutive defeat on the Raptors.
The night began with the Pistons taking advantage of Toronto’s lack of size, a theme that would persist and ultimately lead to Toronto’s demise.
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Kelly Olynyk knows how to play, but he has no chance of stopping players like Jalen Duren from dominating at the rim.
Olynyk had quite the road trip as he was forced to defend big bodies.
Offensively, the Raptors are much better with Olynyk, but it’s on defense where he’ll be exposed trying to defend players he shouldn’t be asked to guard.
The Raptors, however, don’t have many options.
When Olynyk is on the bench, the Raptors turn to Jontay Porter, who is a longer version of Olynyk.
Both can pass, both can shoot, but neither is equipped to defend a Duren, who dunks at will.
These Raptors don’t give up and they certainly didn’t, playing their best in the second quarter when they led by double digits.
Jahmi’us Ramsey scored his first points as a Raptor.
Toronto led 53-37 with 3:13 left in the first half.
The Pistons then went on a run and trailed 57-52 at the break.
The third quarter was completely unwatchable, a period that was once again marked by Detroit’s dominance on the glass.
Then came the fourth when the Pistons took a double-digit lead.
A highlight came when Ramsey brought home a windmill dunk.
Duren posted a 20/20 game in the win.
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