Toronto Raptors: The five worst stretches of futility in team history
By Jason Mills
Raptors losing streak No. 5: January 10-22, 2012 (8 games)
In a shortened season that only saw 66 games played, the Raptors only managed just 23 vitories. The 23 games won during that season would represent the fourth-worst total in a season by the Raptors with a winning percentage that was .348.
It would be the second season after Chris Bosh departed for Miami in free agency, and a 22-year-old DeMar DeRozan was in his third season, averaging 16.7 points a game. Andrea Bargnani would only play in 31 games in the season, but was the team’s top scorer with an average of 19.5 points per game.
Jay Triano’s Raptors struggled without Chris Bosh
The Raptors would begin the season on December 26th, 2011, going 4-5 over the first nine games, while mediocre, nothing too alarming. However, one of the franchise’s lowest points would begin January 10, when they lost 93-78 to the Washington Wizards.
The lowlight of what would be an eight-game losing streak came on January 14, when the Chicago Bulls bested Toronto 77-64.
DeRozan was the only starter that day to reach double-digit scoring with 15, while the four other starters combined to scored 10 points. The Raptors would score 15 points or less in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th quarters. The team was also 1/7 from the free-throw line and shot 34.9 percent for the game.
When the pain of losing ended, the Raptors were 23-43. They did hold the eighth pick at the 2012 NBA Draft when they selected Terrence Ross. Ross would become a future Slam Dunk contest winner.