Raptors fall to Spurs in 2OT, drop to second worst in NBA

TORONTO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) — The Toronto Raptors lost 111-106 against the San Antonio Spurs in double overtime on Sunday afternoon in NBA action.

This was the fifth consecutive loss for the Raptors, dropping their overall record to 3-11 to begin the season.

The team’s record after 14 games ties them with the Detroit Pistons for the second worst in the NBA this season, only ahead of the winless 0-11 Washington Wizards.

The 3-11 record also marks the third worst start in franchise history. Only the 1997-98 and 2005-06 seasons had worst starts, with 1-13 records through 14 games in both seasons.

“It’s frustrating,” said Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan during a post-game interview.

“There’s no way we should be a 3-11 team right now…If you count, easily, there should have been 8 or 9 games we should have won. We’ve just got to finish our games,” DeRozan added.

DeRozan’s optimism comes from the fact that the team has been competitive in most of their games. Of the team’s eleven losses, nine of them have been within ten points.

In addition, five loses have been be a margin of 5 points or less. Furthermore, the team has played in a total of five overtime periods, more than any other team so far this season.

Raptors head coach, Dwane Casey also shares a positive outlook on the season so far.

“If it was a sprint, we would have won (against the Spurs), but it’s not, it’s a marathon,” said Casey.

“We’re in a process. I know it doesn’t look like it, it sounds like a broken record, but we are getting better. Getting a collection of guys playing well together on the same night and…we’re going to be cooking with gas”, added Casey.

With 68 remaining in the regular season, the team looks to improve from their 23-43 record from last season, when the team had the seventh worst record in the NBA.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/sports/2012-11/26/c_131998315.htm