It's going to be a brief Christmas break for the Raptors.
The players went their separate ways following last night's game in Los Angeles against the Clippers but will reconvene in Sacramento on Christmas Day for a 6 p.m. practice in advance of the game with the Kings the next day. While a charter headed back to Toronto, only a handful of players and coaches were on it.
The majority either stayed in California or headed to their respective hometowns.
Practising on Christmas Day might seem a bit much until you consider that since Raptors head coach Jay Triano took over on Dec. 3 the team has had only five practices and likely won't get another chance until at least the New Year.
STATE OF MIND
Rest has been another thing the Raptors have had in small doses and Triano was hoping the day off in L.A. on Sunday would provide that.
If the five-game losing skid is wearing on the Raps head coach, he's doing a great job of hiding it.
Triano remains upbeat about his club and if others don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, he's only too happy to point it out.
"I think we're doing the right thing," he said. "Now it's a matter of doing it with a little more intensity. We don't have to think as much anymore so maybe we do it with more intensity and more passion and then we'll be fine.
"We're learning a system. After 10 games we're starting to get things. It makes our walk throughs a little bit easier and hopefully it shows up in games."
RAPS CATCH A BREAK
Clippers centre Marcus Camby was excused from a shootaround and missed last night's game for personal reasons. Camby is second in the league in rebounding averaging 12.3 and second in the league in blocks with 68.
