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The Toronto Raptors are hot and cold as they struggle to navigate injuries throughout the season.
RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl have been mostly out of the lineup, which has affected the Raptors' record as of late. Despite their fluctuating record, their placement in NBA.com writer John Schuhmann's power rankings hasn't changed. The team remains No. 13 on the list.
"The Raptors got an important win in Miami last Monday, but they’re still just 3-8 since (American) Thanksgiving, a stretch that includes three losses to the Hornets (two) and Nets," Schuhmann wrote.
"The Raptors have another big game in Miami on Tuesday, with their win last week happening as the Heat had their worst offensive game of the season."
Raptors keep pace in power rankings
The Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder are the only teams that rank higher than the Raptors.
While the defence has stayed amongst the top ten in the league, the offence has taken quite a dip with Barrett and Poeltl on the sidelines. The team now ranks No. 19 in offensive rating throughout the season.
"The Raptors rank last in the league offensively (106.1 points scored per 100 possessions) since Thanksgiving, and their loss in Brooklyn on Sunday (a rest-disadvantage game) was the nadir," Schuhmann wrote.
"They scored just 81 points on 98 possessions, with four points on a stretch of 12 trips down the floor after they took a brief lead in the fourth quarter. They shot less than 50% in the paint for the sixth time this season, had just eight free throw attempts, and registered just a single second-chance point."
Not having Barrett and Poeltl has hurt the offense, but there is more that the Raptors can do to get better in scoring the basketball. The team scored just 81 points in their latest loss against the Brooklyn Nets, which marked a new season low for Toronto.
The Raptors will have a chance to bounce back with a game against the Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. ET inside the Kaseya Center. Then, the Raptors we'll head to D.C. to face off against the Washington Wizards before coming back home to face off against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
More must-reads:
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- The 'Youngest 40-point NBA games' quiz
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