One of the worst seasons in Raptors history ended Sunday in Miami

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As the Raptors end their season with a Sunday matinee in Miami, it's hard to find any meaning amid such a senseless night, so there are signs of hope when a desperate and hapless basketball practice has brought the team to this point of no return.

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Those who want to see the glass half full point to the emergence of Grady Dick late in the season and imagine a world where Dick plays with the cushion of the ball or makes shots from beyond the arc with courage and confidence.

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They showcase RJ Barrett's scoring prowess and the expanded role he was able to embrace and fulfill when he arrived in Toronto and was given the opportunity to play in free agency.

The image above is also of Immanuel Quickley.

An optimist, Kelly can feel good knowing that Olympique has proven and cemented his spot in the future rotation, it can only get better, and it can't get any worse once the necessary assets are gathered this offseason.

Given the contract status of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, everyone knew from the start that the Raptors were headed into this season of uncertainty.

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After the inevitable became reality and everyone was sold, the team became Scotty Barnes' unit.

The real downer in a season filled with loss after loss was the injury Barnes suffered on March 1st.

To make matters worse, Jacob Poeltl was gone two nights later.

More than any loss, those two setbacks robbed the Raptors of a legitimate opportunity to properly evaluate their roster and coaching staff.

Without Barnes, who needs to tighten his grip in the half-court and improve his three-point shot, the Raptors are without their only player who can attract defenders.

Without Poeltl, whose lack of foot speed is a liability when opponents run a pick-and-roll in certain matchups, the Raptors lost their one and only rim protector and paint defender.

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Heading into the season finale, the Raptors have won 18 of their last 20 games and 20 of 23, including three in a row after Friday's loss to the Heat.

Sunday's loss would be Toronto's fourth in a row and snap a five-game losing streak of the season that spanned five games and a famous 15-game streak that ended April 5 against the Greek Freak-less Bucks. Milwaukee.

Only once this season have the Raptors put together a three-game winning streak.

Closing time Sunday will be a time to look back, it won't be easy, and start looking forward, which can be encouraging, but it depends on what management is willing and able to do.

There have been some glowing reviews of head coach Darko Rajakovic's performance in the days leading up to the final, with praise for a coach who never lets defeat undermine his work ethic and preparation.

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Furthermore, the players, at least on record, never raise a dissenting voice.

In other words, get what you want from the love fest.

The bottom line is that no one can objectively judge the work that Rajakovic did because he was not given the opportunity to do his job in the first place when there was so much turmoil and it was being held.

In retrospect, two moments resonate — when the fourth quarter turned into a march to the home team's foul line, Rajakovic's frustration after a loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles, and pizza night after a three-game winning streak. .

His dedication and love for the game is undeniable, but like any coach, Rajakovic needs talent.

To his credit, he didn't hold back after the players' bad behavior without naming any players.

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When he returns for his second season, Rajakovic will have to throw down the kid gloves and be assertive.

By the end of his first season as an NBA head coach, Rajakovic had lost on the court, unfortunately, as had Barrett and Quickley.

Needless to say, the season wasn't great on many levels, made worse when Jontay Porter found himself at the center of a gambling scandal that could cost him his career if any impropriety is discovered.

Porter should not be in doubt until the NBA completes its investigation into gambling violations involving two games after it revealed unusual betting behavior in its over/under statistics.

The fact that the Raptors had to deal with shocks only underscored the depth of the club's struggles.

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Mercifully, it will all come to an end in the season finale on Sunday, an official end for a team that enters the day with a 25-56 record and, thankfully, for many players.

Decisions will be made, if they haven't already been made, roster moves will be worked out, offseason plans will be made, and the reboot will bring to a close one of the saddest and most memorable seasons, if at least for all the wrong reasons. franchise like never before.

The Raptors will begin their 30th season in the NBA this fall.

Notably, the Raptors have played 30 different players in a single game this season, the most in franchise history.

Rather than winning franchise posts, many begin to understand how things have gone south for a team when there are so many players who shouldn't even be in the NBA.

Fittingly, it all ends just minutes away from South Beach.

Toronto never led and tied the game at 10-10 just once on Friday, a 125-103 rout.

However, the Raptors could emerge as spoilers if they can overcome the Heat Sunday, as Miami will need help from other teams to win and avoid the NBA playoffs.

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