Raptors news: Starter apologizes for awful game, Otto Porter Jr. in rotation, Dennis Schroder wins honor

Dennis Schroder genuinely let down the Toronto Raptors in their loss against the Miami Heat, as his 4-18 performance was not only far below what is normally expected of him, but it was so bad that some started wondering if the offense might be better with him on the bench.

While Schroder has generally been regarded as an excellent player this season for Toronto, his worst games can make for some very difficult basketball. He can demand the ball too much, take too many ill-advised shots, and stymie whatever flow the offense might be getting into.

Not only does Schroder's selfish play produce some serious clunkers for himself individually, but it also takes the ball away from Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes. Perhaps having been made aware of the limitations his style of play can bring, Schroder was more than willing to admit he had a terrible game and vowed never to have that happen again.

In a SportsNet interview, the veteran Schroder said he personally apologized to the team after such a substandard game, saying that performance is "not who I am" and that he has "got to better." This won't fix the bad game, but it's nice to see a veteran player take accountability after a tough night.

More Raptors news

• Darko Rajakovic confirmed that Otto Porter Jr. will remain in the team's 10-man rotation going forward. After getting some sparse playing time before taking a handful of games off, Porter's ability to shoot well from 3-point range has become too desirable for the Raptors to ignore.
• Schroder was named Playboy Man of the Year in Germany, receiving 18% of the vote in

a Norstat Opinion Research Institute survey. Schroder managed to beat out multiple high-ranking members of the German government and acclaimed actors to win this honor, all while beating out legendary striker Rudi Voller and German national soccer team manager Julian Nagelsmann.

NBA news

• Milwaukee Bucks big man Bobby Portis was livid after his team was eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the semifinals of the inaugural In-Season Tournament. Portis, per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, passionately "challenged" his teammates as well as head coach (and former Raptors assistant) Adrian Griffin.
• LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Pacers in the IST Championship, as LeBron James set about beating the stuffing out of Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans. The winner of the LA vs. Indiana game will end up with a $500,000 prize.