The Raptors came trundling home for about 48 hours and a game, a change of scenery and suitcases, still searching for that one facet of the game that's eluded them all season: consistency. With a 3-4 record and a journey west looming on the horizon, the coaching staff and players had a little while to regroup before facing the Chicago Bulls at the Air Canada Centre Wednesday night. They probably spent the time at home wondering why lax effort pops up every now and then, taking the shine off anything good they've done so far in this still-young season.
But if there were thoughts that coach Jay Triano would re-think the team's defensive philosophy, they should be put immediately out of mind.
"We're not going to change this system, we just have to play it better," Triano said during the just-completed 1-2 road trip through New Orleans, Dallas and San Antonio.
The Raptors have shown at times this year a penchant for playing well one night and wretchedly the next.
They give up far too many points - 265 in their last two games alone - but turned in passable efforts in wins over Cleveland, Detroit and New Orleans.
The trouble is that when they break down, they really break down. A lack of effort on the boards let the short-staffed Spurs dominate the rebounding battle and register a win on Monday. Against Orlando over a week ago, Toronto's inability to close out on shooters allowed the Magic to shoot at will from beyond the three-point arc.
If it's not one thing, it's the other. All connected.
"On the screen-roll, we have a tough time keeping guys in front of us," said Triano. "So we have to provide help and when we provide help, they kick for threes ... we have to do a better job closing out on threes."
One of the many issues that arose in San Antonio, and one that's been part of Toronto's defensive problems so far, has been an inability to contain open shooters in the corner or on the perimeter.
"It's when they make a pass out of it (dribble penetration or breaking down a Raptor on the wing) and you close out on a guy, you've got to be able to stop the guy," said Triano.
"There's nothing wrong with our coverages or what we're doing, it's just you can't run at a guy and have him run past you."
If there is anything for the Raptors to be hopeful about Wednesday, it's that the Bulls are unlikely to light them up from outside.
Heading into a home game against Denver Tuesday, Chicago was dead last in the NBA in three-point accuracy, shooting just 26 per cent as a team and the Bulls are 27th in the league in field goal percentage, shooting 42.3 per cent.
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