Raptors led at the break in Detroit, but then wilted in second half

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The Raptors were reduced to road kill, a four-game stretch that would see the undersized and undermanned team lose each game.

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The stench of defeat had a real chance of getting cleaned up Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena where the Raptors wrapped up their trip with a meeting against the 11-win Detroit Pistons.

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Win No. 12 would be achieved by a team that beat the Raptors in Motown back on Dec. 30 when NBA infamy was avoided.

It was a two-point win by the Pistons on the same day the Raptors swung their five-player trade with the New York Knicks.

The latest meeting wasn’t close, especially in the second half.

In the end, the Pistons prevailed, 113-104, to hand the Raptors their fifth consecutive loss.

The night began with the Pistons taking advantage of Toronto’s lack of size, a theme that would persist and ultimately lead to Toronto’s demise.

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Kelly Olynyk knows how to play, but he has no shot of keeping the likes of a Jalen Duren from dominating at the rim.

Olynyk had quite the road trip as he was forced to defend some big bodies.

Offensively, the Raptors are much better with Olynyk, but it’s on defence when he will get exposed trying to defend players he shouldn’t be asked to guard.

The Raptors, though, don’t have many options.

When Olynyk is on the bench, the Raptors turn to Jontay Porter, who is a longer version of Olynyk.

Both can pass, both can shoot, but neither is equipped to defend the likes of a Duren, who was dunking at will.

These Raptors don’t give up and they certainly didn’t, playing their best in the second quarter when they led by double figures.

Jahmi’us Ramsey scored his first points as a Raptor.

Toronto led 53-37 with 3:13 left in the opening half.

The Pistons then went on a run and trailed 57-52 at the break.

The third quarter was completely unwatchable, a period that once again featured Detroit’s dominance on the glass.

Then came the fourth when the Pistons took a double-digit lead.

One highlight did emerge when Ramsey flushed home a windmill dunk.

Duren posted a 20/20 game in the win.

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