Raptors Rookie Looks Good Despite Loss To Pistons
Posted April 18, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
On paper, there wasn’t much on the line Tuesday night when the Toronto Raptors took on the Detroit Pistons. But for Raptors rookie Uros Slokar, the game would prove to be a crucial moment in a budding career.
With both teams already in the playoffs, Raptors coach Sam Mitchell gave the seldom-utilized Slovenian plenty of playing time, and he responded, scoring 18 points in 30 minutes. In the end, however, the short-staffed Raptors fell 100-84 to the Pistons.
“I’ve been waiting all year for a chance like this,” he said afterwards. “For me, every game might be my last, so I have to prove to someone that I can play. That went pretty well tonight.”
Despite the lack of incentive for both teams, Detroit coach Flip Saunders didn’t want a repeat of Monday’s embarrassing loss to Philadelphia and choose to dress most of his starters, while Toronto sat Chris Bosh and Anthony Parker.
“We were consistent in the first half,” Saunders said. “In the second half, when you’re up 25, it is pretty tough to tell the guys to go out there and play.”
Morris Peterson hyperextended his right knee late in the game, but didn’t think the injury would force him to miss any future action.
“My first thought was `Oh no, not now’, but I think it scared me more than being any actual injury,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to miss any practices or games, but we’ll have to see what happens tomorrow.”
Mitchell defended his decision to have Peterson on the floor so late in a meaningless game.
“A guy can play two minutes and get hurt — that’s basketball,” he said. “Someone had to be out there, unless one of you (media members) wanted to play.”
