(Sports Network) - Normally teams celebrate a return home following a lengthy
road trip, but the Toronto Raptors barely had enough players to field a
competitive team on Wednesday.
The Raptors hope to benefit from some extra bodies and force Dallas into
making some more mistakes in a meeting on Friday night with the Mavericks.
Following a victory over Phoenix on Nov. 30, Toronto failed to win a game
during its five-game swing out west and the trip's finale in Portland was a
costly one as both Andrea Bargnani and Kyle Lowry suffered injuries.
Bargnani, the team's second-leading scorer, is out indefinitely due to a
ligament tear in his right elbow and a strained right wrist, while Lowry is
expected to be out around 10 days because of a partial tear of his right
triceps muscle.
Factor in already existing injuries to Alan Anderson, Landry Fields and Linas
Kleiza, as well as a one-game suspension to forward Amir Johnson for throwing
his mouthpiece at an official following an altercation with a referee in
Portland, and the Raptors had just eight players available for Wednesday's
meeting with the Brooklyn Nets.
"Guys looking for minutes are going to get more playing time," Raptors head
coach Dwane Casey said. "It's a tough situation. It's a challenge. They're not
going to cancel games."
In his second start of the season, Ed Davis matched a career high with 24
points to go along with 12 rebounds, but the Raptors still fell to the Nets
94-88.
Jose Calderon added 10 points and 15 assists for Toronto, which led by 11
points in the third before faltering to its 12th loss in 13 games.
Casey may have some more options tonight in addition to the returning Johnson.
Kleiza remains day-to-day with his sore right knee, but Anderson was able to
practice on Thursday and is expected to return for this game after missing 17
in a row due to torn plantar fascia in his left foot.
Fields, though, will miss his 19th game due to right elbow surgery.
Dallas enjoyed Thursday's off day for different reasons after taking the
Boston Celtics to double overtime the previous night. However, the Mavericks
turned the ball over 28 times for 34 Boston points and dropped a 117-115
decision to end a three-game winning streak.
O.J. Mayo had 24 points in the loss and also had nine turnovers.
"Nine turnovers just doesn't cut it," said Mayo. "When you get the ball you
want to make a play, make a positive play for our team so turnovers really
killed us. The team having 28 (turnovers) and me having nine -- we've got do
better in that area."
Darren Collison donated 20 points and Shawn Marion had 16 points, 11 boards
and seven assists in a return from a two-game absence caused by a groin injury
as Dallas used its 11th different starting lineup in its 22nd game of the
season.
The Mavericks have won three straight and 14 of their last 17 versus the
Raptors, including a 109-104 victory at home on Nov. 7. Mayo and Chris Kaman
both had 22 points, Collison had 15 and former Raptor Vince Carter netted 17
points.
Carter, who began his career with Toronto from 1998-2004 and made five All-
Star teams, will return to Air Canada Centre on his fourth different team
since leaving the Raptors and has averaged 24.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per
game at ACC in an opposing uniform.
The 35-year-old is second in Raptors' franchise history with 9,420 points.
The Sports Network