The Raptors are about to start a difficult stretch of four games in five nights -- the last three on the road at Atlanta, Washington and Chicago after a Tuesday home date with the Wizards. And now that they have lost three straight and seven of nine to fall to 7-11 on the season, there could be reason to think change to the starting lineup or rotation would be coming. They aren't getting a lot out of rookie DeMar DeRozan as a starter, but his primary backup, Antoine Wright, is giving them less. Point guard Jose Calderon and small forward Hedo Turkoglu are wildly inconsistent, and Andrea Bargnani seems lost at times on defense, so much so that coach Jay Triano sat him after just 23 minutes of a recent loss in Boston.
But the coach sounds like a guy who's ready to stay the course, at least for now.
"I'm not sure if we want to panic yet on anything," he said. "Offensively, obviously we're one of the best teams in the NBA shooting the basketball ... defensively we're learning new systems and guys and trying to support and help each other, and we've struggled with those adjustments.
"But I don't know if I can point a finger at anybody and say we'd be better."
The one thing they have going for them is that there is no separation in the Eastern Conference, and even at four games below .500 they certainly have not lost the season.
SUNS 113, RAPTORS 94: Toronto lost its 12th straight to the Suns, who were led by Steve Nash's 20 points and 16 assists in his once-a-year foray to his native land.
The Raptors, who missed 19 of 20 three-pointers, wasted a 30-point, 17-rebound game by Chris Bosh as forward Hedo Turkoglu and guard Jose Calderon were a combined 5-for-21 from the floor.
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