In his ninth pro start, Gradey Dick is starting to find his footing

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The evolution of Gradey Dick continues, with signs of improved play overshadowing poor momentsthat began to  seep into the rookie’s game when matched up against a more physical Orlando Magic team in back-to-back losses.

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Dick didn’t exactly acquit himself in a blowout loss to the Sacramento Kings, either, once again getting exposed by a more physical and skillful team. But credit the kid for bouncing back when the OKC Thunder came to town Friday night when the Raptors fought valiantly in predictably losing yet another game.

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Then came Saturday’s date in Washington — a 112-109 setback to the host Wizards, and loss No. 10 in a row. Dick was active, aggressive and even assertive when matched up against a smaller defender on the block. Operating out of the post is not the area Dick will flourish in and nor will he find himself so near to the rim with any frequency, but the sequence did reveal his IQ in recognizing the size advantage.

He was the only starter to make a three-point shot in the opening half, which would see the Raptors trailing by three.

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Of greater importance was the number ‘0’ next to Dick’s name in the turnover category.

Dick’s third triple of the game on Toronto’s opening possession to begin the second half made it a 51-51 deadlock.

This was not a game anyone will remember, but Dick’s confidence is building. He’s coming off screens with a purpose and is beginning to show a fearlessness when attacking the basket and scoring at the rim.

The Raptors have been positively brutal, but when encouraging signs emerge with Dick’s game they must be viewed as a positive.

Defensively, he’ll only get better once Dick gets stronger and becomes less vulnerable.

Saturday night marked Dick’s ninth start. But to say he is beginning to feel comfortable at the NBA level would not be a stretch. He does, though, have to exercise better judgment when attempting some above-the-rim forays to the rack.

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Toronto led by as many as 11 points late in the third only to allow the Wizards to go on a run. Whether it was fatigue or simple futility, the Wizards responded to Toronto’s run as the Raptors were forced to call a timeout two minutes into the final quarter.

These are not the Wizards of John Wall and Bradley Beal and nor did the Raptors bear any resemblance to the Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan units when the teams battled in the post-season.

Saturday night’s fourth quarter did have its moments of what could loosely be described as drama as the Raptors tried to end their nine-game losing streak.

Dick made his first trip to the line with 5:04 left, making both shots to complete a sequence that began with Dick making a defensive play at the rim.

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The teams were in a one-possession game when the night turned frenetic, a late-game stretch featuring misses by the Raptors on open looks, a clear-path foul awarded to Washington and a wild ending until the Wizards put it away for good on an uncontested corner three-ball.

All told, the Wizards would hold on to a hard-fought win as the Raptors saw their losing stretch extended to 10 games, the team’s longest skid since 2011.

NO J.P. IN D.C.

It’s been a tough stretch for Jontay Porter, who remains an intriguing possibility for the Raptors as they look ahead to next season.

Porter is a big who doesn’t have the size to play big in terms of banging with physical players in the post. He can pass, as evidenced by his season-high eight assists Friday night in Toronto’s home loss to the OKC Thunder, he has a great feel for the game and Porter can shoot from the perimeter.

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Porter was ruled out of Toronto’s visit to the U.S. capital because of personal reasons.

In Wednesday night’s loss to visiting Sacramento, he was able to play three minutes before leaving the game with an illness.

For some reason, some believe Porter has the same skill set as Kelly Olynyk. Truth be bold, Olynyk is better when creating off the dribble and has more range than Porter, which is no knock on Porter.

Porter has shown he can play and contribute. As a third option coming off the bench, Porter looms as a potential asset when a full and healthy roster is available, a luxury the Raptors have not had in weeks and won’t have for the balance of the season.

For the record, the Raptors were also without Scottie Barnes, R.J. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, Chris Boucher and D.J. Carton. Gary Trent Jr. was listed as probable, but he was able to play and started on a unit featuring four wings. He was by far the most accomplished shooter available to the Raptors and the team’s only legitimate starter.

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Trent didn’t make his first three-pointer until there were four minutes left in regulation. He ended with a game-high 31 points to tie his season high.

D-DAY FOR RAMSEY

The expiration date on Jahmi’us Ramsey is Sunday when his second 10-day deal comes to an end.

If they want to keep the guard, the Raptors will need to re-sign Ramsey for the balance of the season, potentially include some partial guarantee for next year. The combo guard started in Washington as the Raptors continue to give him an opportunity to make an impression.

Ramsay can handle the ball and has shown an ability to take his man off the dribble. What he hasn’t shown is an ability to shoot from three-point distance.

At least he has been given minutes with so many incumbents unavailable.

When he signed his first 10-day contract, Ramsey saw limited action. His second 10-day stint has been a different story given the story of the Raptors’ injury plight or players dealing with personal issues.

Ramsey did drill a corner three when the Raptors got out in transition in the third quarter.

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