The [Toronto Raptors lost an excruciating game](/raptors-scores-results/49524/uh-oh-now-the-raptors-are-losing-to-bad-teams-too) to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. You can’t even say it was because they were on the road, either, because the NOLA arena had like 10 people in it. It was rough.
We could spend this time breaking down everything that went wrong for the Raptors. Their lack of fight, their lack of offensive drive, their lack of prominent playmaking, the fact that Poeltl isn’t really working out, and so on. Regardless, losing a March game, when you’re in a playoff push, against a team like the New Orleans Pelicans is unacceptable.
You know what’s also unacceptable? When your teammate gets taunted, and your reaction is to just sigh and turn the other way. That’s literally what happened to Jamal Shead after he fell defending Dejounte Murray at the end of the game. The game was way over, and Murray still decided he was going to go and stand over Shead after making a shot over him. Sure, I like spicy play as much as the next girl, but this was a little too much spice. It was the end of the game, the Raptors had lost… like, why?
I’m not as mad about that, though. Things happen when you’re feeling good on the court, and the Pelicans could use a little energy. You know what sucked? Seeing Jamal Shead get up to defend himself after that, and the only player who even attempted to back him up being Immanuel Quickley. Everyone else just… stood there. Defeated. Just accepting it.
You know that if it were any other player, Jamal Shead would have gotten in there to defend his teammate. Why wasn’t the same thing done for him? Where is the leadership and initiative on that court to DO SOMETHING when your teammate needs you? Unfortunately, this behaviour reflects the on-court product, as well. The Raptors got pushed down on Wednesday, and instead of fighting back, they seemed to just kinda sigh and take it. By the time the thing with Shead happens the rest of them just look… over it.
What could be wrong? Is there a lack of chemistry on this team? A dysfunction in the locker room? For a team that had such great chemistry just a few months ago, what happened? _**Let us know your theories in the comments below.**_
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