Toronto Raptors: Perseverance through injuries in December

The Toronto Raptors had to trudge through the month of December with a plethora of injuries to key players but still came out looking strong.

After having a very strong November, the Toronto Raptors were hoping they could continue that kind of success into December. Having continued success in the final month of 2019 would solidify themselves as one of the premier teams in the Eastern Conference. It would also be important because success at this point in the season will translate into improved chemistry and camaraderie for the team long-term.

The Raptors struggled to find the same amount of success as they did in November. They had a record of 9-7 for the month and had some struggles throughout. The beginning of December was difficult as they lost three straight games, two of them being at home but ended up finding their groove as the month progressed, putting together a five-game win streak.

One could describe the month for Toronto as “hot and cold”. Some games they were playing up to their capabilities and on other nights, they were not. Once again the Raptors were bitten by the injury bug as they have lost some key players to injuries. This could’ve been a factor in their inconsistent play during the month.

With the team being hampered by injuries, the Raptors had to rely on their young role players to mature quickly and play well (this seems like a recurring theme this season). Nick Nurse is no stranger when it comes to tweaking and trying out new rotations, and his brilliance at this is showing once again. He has been able to keep Toronto afloat despite them being without some of their top players.

The Raptors’ December has been a mix of the good and the bad. What were some of the big takeaways from the month? What was learned about the team as they maneuvered through injuries?