Raptors look to bounce back without injured all-star DeMar DeRozan
TORONTO — Wearing fuzzy slippers, all-star guard DeMar DeRozan limped across the Toronto Raptors practice court Monday after meeting the media. You could have timed him with an hourglass.
DeRozan will miss at least the next two games with a sprained right ankle after landing on the foot of teammate Jonas Valanciunas in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 115-103 loss to visiting Phoenix. While DeRozan will be re-evaluated at the end of the week, his snail-like pace Monday suggested two games might be optimistic.
“It sucks,” said DeRozan. “Because I tried to go in with the mindset this year of playing all 82 (games) … But things happen. Maybe it’ll just force me to sit down and get a rest for a couple of days and come back better.”
The loss of DeRozan — and his 27.9 points a game, good for sixth in the league — comes at an inopportune time. The Raptors have lost three straight for the first time since November 2015, succumbing 94-89 in Philadelphia and 113-78 in Charlotte prior to fading in the fourth quarter at home to Phoenix in a game that saw Toronto miss nine layups.