Spurs at Raptors
The Toronto Raptors have dropped three consecutive games and will be without All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan for at least the next two contests with a sprained right ankle - including Tuesday's matchup with the visiting San Antonio Spurs. DeRozan was injured during the fourth quarter of Sunday's 115-103 setback against Phoenix, and the current plan is for him to be re-evaluated on Friday.
Toronto's three-game skid matches its worst since November 2015, and not having DeRozan comes at a bad time with the powerful Spurs arriving in town. "When it rains, it pours sometimes and ... once you get through that part of it, it always comes out to be worth it," DeRozan told reporters on Monday. "That's how I always look at it. I think I'm just an optimistic type of guy, and that's how I look at everything." San Antonio hopes to have star small forward Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup after he missed Monday's 112-86 trouncing of Brooklyn. Leonard injured his hand while pouring in a career-best 41 points during Saturday's 118-115 overtime victory over Cleveland.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), Sportsnet One (Toronto)
ABOUT THE SPURS (35-9): Starting point guard Tony Parker (foot) will miss his fourth consecutive game, but Patty Mills stepped up in his absence on Monday with 20 points - marking the third time this season he reached the plateau. Mills drained four 3-pointers against Brooklyn and is 11-of-19 from long range over his last four games. "Everyone gets excited to be able to get the chance to get out there and play, but nothing changes," Mills told reporters. "The game plan's still the same, what's expected of us is the same, so it's just that opportunity. But there is that excitement when we do it the right way, play the right way, share the ball and everyone does their little piece."
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (28-16): The home loss to the lowly Suns comes after a 113-78 drubbing against Charlotte and a loss to Philadelphia, and the locals are more than a bit concerned. "Everybody's in panic mode right now, it's not time to panic," Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "We're going through a tough time. This is part of the NBA. How you come out of this, how you fight against it, how you compete against it - that's the most important thing." DeRozan scored 26 points in a 110-82 road loss to San Antonio on Jan. 3, but point guard Kyle Lowry recorded a season-low six on 2-of-9 shooting - missing all seven of his 3-point attempts.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors are 11-30 all-time against the Spurs after the 28-point defeat earlier this month.
2. San Antonio signed veteran Joel Anthony to a 10-day contract to help fill the void left by fellow C Pau Gasol's hand injury.
3. Toronto backup F Patrick Patterson (knee) is questionable after missing 10 of the last 12 games.