When the Raptors face the visiting Detroit Pistons on Friday night in their second NBA Cup game, Toronto will aim to break a five-game losing streak.
In their Cup opener on Tuesday, the Pistons secured a 123-121 overtime victory against the visiting Miami Heat.
Despite Gradey Dick’s career-best 32 points, the Raptors lost their Cup opener 99-85 to the Milwaukee Bucks, ending a five-game road trip.
The Pistons played the Bucks the next day and suffered a 127-120 overtime loss after leading by 18 points. Ron Holland II missed two free throws in the final second of regulation that could have won the game. Cade Cunningham had a standout performance with 35 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, three blocked shots, and two steals for Detroit, but they couldn’t stop Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 59 points.
Detroit has won five games this season and appears set to easily surpass last season’s franchise-worst 14 victories, which has the players excited.
The Pistons were without Tim Hardaway Jr. (head laceration), Jaden Ivey (right great toe sprain), and Simone Fontecchio (left great toe sprain) in Milwaukee. All three are day-to-day.
The Raptors are also dealing with injuries, particularly to Scottie Barnes (right orbital fracture) and Immanuel Quickley (left elbow UCL partial tear). Quickley missed eight games this season with a pelvic contusion suffered in the season opener. Bruce Brown (knee) and Kelly Olynyk (back) have also been sidelined.
Toronto has struggled defensively. In the loss to the Bucks, the Raptors committed 22 turnovers, leading to 28 points for Milwaukee.
Last season, the Pistons won two of three games against the Raptors, losing only the one game in Toronto.
The last time the teams met, Jalen Duren had 24 points and a career-best 23 rebounds on March 13, leading the Pistons to a 113-104 victory.
