NBA News: Toronto Raptors Not Purposely Dropping Games, Says Head Coach

The Toronto Raptors are trying to figure out how to get their act together with their current NBA campaign good as gone.

At this point when their postseason hopes are not looking so good, the former NBA champions have no plans of dropping their guard and tank.

This was stressed no less by head coach Nick Nurse who made it clear that they are not tanking for the rest of the 2020-21 NBA season.

The Raptors have been struggling to get wins although they did win over the Golden State Warriors over the weekend. That victory snapped a four-game losing streak, but it hardly improved their chances in the Eastern Conference.

Toronto now holds a record of 19-30, sitting at the 11th spot of the division.

Regardless of where they are now, Nurse made it clear that they are not tanking to place themselves in a good position for the 2021 NBA Draft.

The NBA champion coach is not a fan of tanking and vowed they will continue to slug it out with hopes of making the playoffs when he spoke to Aaron Rose of Sports Illustrated.

"We're still playing to win and we're still playing to make the playoffs," Nurse was quoted as saying.

With their automatic seeding looming as a long shot, Nurse is most likely hoping to make it via the backdoor.

Similar to last season, the Raptors could make it via the play-in tournament that involves the seventh to 10th seeded teams of the NBA regular season for the final two slots of the NBA playoffs.

While that is possible, Nurse will have to figure out how to get his boys rolling. He needs to get some consistent play from players like Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet to attain that goal.

They did take in Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood in the Normal Powell trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, Toronto may need to make more moves like checking out the free-agent market for some able bodies.

One position that could help out Nurse and company is to add a center. Aron Baynes was tasked to pick up from Serge Ibaka, but that plan has apparently gone for naught.

With other teams picking up one team after another, Nurse may want to take a second look and bring in a big man who could plug that hole in the middle.

There are more sensible additions, but with other teams plucking on free agent after another, Toronto needs to act fast.