Raptors Find Their Mark After Blowout Loss vs. Pistons

The Toronto Raptors were many steps behind the first place Detroit Pistons.

Detroit Pistons guard Duncan Robinson tries to dribble between Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors are ending the first half of the season on a whimper after losing 113-95 against the Detroit Pistons inside Scotiabank Arena.

The Raptors couldn't get the offence going early, resulting in a double-digit deficit early in the first quarter. From there, the Raptors were forced to play catch up all night long. The Pistons led wire-to-wire and held a lead as large as 23, cementing themselves as a dominant team.

Detroit Pistons center Paul Reed controls the ball against Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Raptors Blown Out By Pistons

The Raptors were led by Immanuel Quickley, who had a team-high 18 points, while Scottie Barnes posted 17 of his own. RJ Barrett contributed 16 to the pot, while Brandon Ingram had just 13. Gradey Dick also contributed with 10 points off the bench.

Jakob Poeltl also made his return to the lineup after missing the last 25 games with a lingering back injury. He played in 20 minutes and scored nine points as the team's starting centre.

For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham finished with 28, while Paul Reed had 22. He started for the suspended Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, who were both handed multi-game suspensions by the league after getting involved in a brawl in their last game against the Charlotte Hornets.

The Pistons are proving without their top two players that they are a legitimate contender. They are the first team in the Eastern Conference to reach 40 wins this season, putting them in the driver's seat to represent the conference in the NBA Finals this June.

The Raptors got an opportunity to see where they stack against the Pistons, who are currently the team to beat in the East. The Raptors showed that they are still a long way from where they need to be, but there is plenty of time for them to improve as the season goes into the second half.

The Raptors can use the week off to get their bodies right and recuperate from the difficult first half of the season. The fact that the team is 32-23 through 55 games and has already beaten its win total from a year ago is a sign that things are going in the right direction for Toronto.

The Raptors return to the court on Thursday, Feb 19 against the Chicago Bulls. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 PM ET inside the United Center in the Windy City. Fans can watch the game on Sportsnet or stream it on NBA League Pass.