No one said it would be easy, no one said it would be pretty, no one thought many games would be won when losing would actually benefit the Raptors in the long run.
And yet no one thought it would be this entertaining.
The Raptors remain undermanned and playing without their best player in Scottie Barnes, who won’t require surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone from the receiving end of a Nikola Jokic elbow.
When the Raptors began their five-game trip in the Mile High City late Monday night, they were without starting point guard Immanuel Quickley.
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Two key rotational players, Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown, also remain sidelined.
The Raptors lost to the Jamal Murray-less Nuggets in a thriller with the game in RJ Barrett’s hands, a potential buzzer-beater three-ball rimming in and out as Denver escaped with a 121-119 win.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic has gone on record explaining he has no intention of taking any solace from moral victories.
Team management has also gone on record saying the current iteration of the roster in the franchise’s 30th season is in the midst of a rebuild.
The two positions might seem at odds, but no head coach wants to see any loss attached to his record.
When timeouts need to be called, Rajakovic has shown no reluctance, even when the game is barely two minutes old. When some kind of defensive breakdown is committed, he’s quick to call a timeout address the area.
Toronto’s road slate resumes Wednesday night in Sacramento against a Kings team that visited Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night when Vince Carter’s jersey was raised to the rafters.
The Kings left Toronto with an overtime loss on a night when all-star point guard De’Aaron Fox missed all 11 of his shots from beyond the arc.
It was a night when the Raptors committed only one turnover in the first quarter. At one point during the fourth quarter, the Raptors led the Kings by as many as 13 points.
It also was a night when the Raptors’ lone big man, Jakob Poeltl, fouled out with 2:58 remaining in regulation. In Denver, Poeltl also fouled out, but he did post a 24-point, 11-rebound game.
The way Barrett has stepped up, the way he has demanded the ball, the way he has been so aggressive and decisive, life without Barnes hasn’t been as bad as first feared. Whether this is sustainable remains unknown.
The way Gradey Dick has flourished when given extended minutes and bring able to put up as many good shots when looks are presented takes a bit of the sting of Quickley’s absence.
The one indispensable player is Poeltl, which might seem odd given his age does not fit the timeline of the three players in Barnes, Quickley and Barrett the team seems intent on building around.
When he’s on the floor and not in foul trouble, Poeltl has a presence that is undeniable. His shot-put like attempts around the rim very seldom hit iron.
Last season, the Raptors had Poeltl initiate the offence at the elbow. This early in the season he has been at the top of the circle when the ball is swung and then setting picks.
Quietly, he has been very good. And when he’s not in the game, his absence becomes magnified.
Toronto’s visit to Denver marked the team’s third road game of the season. No wins have been produced, but the Raptors came close against the Nuggets.
Again, Rajakovic is right to scoff at any moral victories, but that’s the reality of the Raptors’ situation.
As long as the team’s fight, grit and resilience can be maintained, there’s nothing wrong with coming up short, even though no tangible gains will be reflected in the standings.
Toronto attempted 103 shots at Ball Arena — 18 more heaves than the Nuggets — and emerged with a plus-3 in the turnover battle. The Raps were able to record 38 assists on the 47 made baskets and were a plus-9 in three-point scoring.
Like every other team, the Raptors don’t have a Joker. The big Serbian recorded a triple-double in Denver’s win, was able to back down every opponent once Poeltl left and then able find open shooters for corner threes.
Truth be told, the Raptors did all they could and even forced the Joker into turning the ball over seven times.
In two games against the Raptors, the three-time MVP scored a combined 68 points on 28-for-49 shooting. But he also had a combined 10 turnovers.
Twice the Raptors managed to manufacture double-digit leads against a Nuggets team lacking depth and twice the Raptors would lose.
The saying of ‘close but no cigar’ will become common this season, if it hasn’t already eight games in. There will no shame in losing when everything is left on the floor.
Players are able to play through mistakes when a careless pass leads to a live-ball turnover, but mental miscues — especially on the defensive end — will not be tolerated, which explains why Rajakovic hasn’t been shy in calling quick timeouts.
Barrett’s three-game stretch of scoring at least 31 points ended in Denver when he netted 16.
He took 21 shots, not exactly the model of efficiency, missed nine three-pointers on 11 attempts and he also turned the ball over five times.
Barrett’s 10 dimes increased his assist total to 36 in the past four games.
Despite the loss and the 2-6 record heading into Wednesday’s tip, all is not lost with the Raptors.
Given how the club was such a complete lost cause last season, the franchise has already won — even if the record shows only two wins have been produced.