Raptors return to Toronto on losing skid

It's even becoming tough for the usually sunny Darko Rajakovic to put a positive light on the Toronto Raptors' season.

TORONTO – It’s even becoming tough for the usually sunny Darko Rajakovic to put a positive light on the Toronto Raptors’ season.

The Raptors lost all five games on a West Coast road trip. dropping Toronto into the very bottom of the NBA standings with a 2-10 record. Rajakovic had set an optimistic tone for the team at training camp but when the head coach was asked on Thursday if everyone was still getting along in the locker room, he was direct.

“We are in a rebuilding year. We’re focusing on developing our young guys,” Rajakovic said courtside at the OVO Athletic Centre. “As you can see in the games, our guys are cheering for each other. They want them to succeed. They want their teammates to do well.

“We’ve got to focus on day-to-day. We cannot be looking at wins and losses at this point. We’ve got to focus on us getting better.”

Rajakovic had to rhyme off a litany of injury updates at the start of his post-practice scrum with five key players inactive.

All-star forward Scottie Barnes (right orbital fracture), starting point guard Immanuel Quickley (partially torn UCL), veteran forward Bruce Brown (arthroscopic knee surgery), backup centre Kelly Olynyk (lumbar strain) of Kamloops, B.C., and first-round pick Ja’Kobe Walter (right shoulder sprain) will all likely be unavailable when Toronto hosts the Detroit Pistons on Friday.

All five participated in Thursday’s practice to some degree, however.

Barnes wore a mask on the court but was not cleared for contact. Quickley was allowed to work out but couldn’t use his left hand. Olynyk could be seen taking layups but, along with Brown, was not cleared for contact. Walter did shooting drills as well and will have an update on Tuesday.