Raptors at Pelicans
The Toronto Raptors are experiencing a mini-funk as they open a three-game road trip by visiting the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. Toronto has lost back-to-back games to the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets while dropping three of its last five contests.
The Raptors own the second-best record in the NBA and coach Nick Nurse isn't fretting over the recent dip in play. "I feel really good and really comfortable with where we are right now," Nurse told reporters at Thursday's practice. "Considering we've had a lot of pieces in and out all year long and you had new pieces here, I'm pretty happy. Would we like to play better in some of the games? Of course. Would we like to have won more games? Of course." New Orleans had a three-game winning streak halted with Wednesday's 114-104 home loss to the Utah Jazz and sabotaged its chances with 18 turnovers. "We could have done a better job of just playing simple basketball," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "That's when I think we're at our best - when we've just got ball movement and people movement and they took advantage of it."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FS New Orleans
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (46-19): Veteran guard Jeremy Lin is struggling to fit in since joining the club and is 1-of-13 shooting over the past two games while scoring three total points. Lin is averaging 6.3 points on 30.4-percent shooting in seven games with the team and has been hesitant on the floor while trying to learn the pace that Toronto likes to play. "I think the intensity at which our games are played at, he needs to get used to that as well," Nurse said. "He will. He's tough. I don't question his ability to do that."
ABOUT THE PELICANS (30-37): Point guard Elfrid Payton (six) and power forward Julius Randle (five) combined for 11 of the New Orleans miscues against Utah and guard Jrue Holiday (three turnovers) wasn't pleased with the careless ball-handling. "Just us. Self-made mistakes, mistakes that we shouldn't make," Holiday told reporters. "I know a couple of mine were just slipping out of my hand or making a pass that I shouldn't have made. Bad decisions." All-Star power forward Anthony Davis played 20 to 22 minutes in each of his past six appearances as the uneasy truce between himself and the organization continues.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Davis had 25 points and 20 rebounds as the Pelicans defeated the host Raptors 126-110 on Nov. 12.
2. Randle is averaging 27.6 points over the past five games.
3. Toronto All-Star SF Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points against Houston and is averaging 28 points over his past five games.