It’s as if the Raptors begin each game with a complete tank of energy and tires filled with air.
And the inexorable leaking begins, the energy dissipates and there’s an uneasy feeling that everything will be empty long before it should.
It has repeated itself most of the season, in sickness and in health, and compounds issues of significantly flawed roster construction.
The numbers are glaring:
- The Raptors are 3-21 when they trail at halftime.
- They are 3-26 when they trail after three quarters.
- The have been outscored in the third quarter in 10 of their last 11 games and ended up losing 10 or them.