Raptors doing what’s right for DeRozan

ANKLE INJURY

more time Wednesday night, with DeRozan held back a second game in Boston to allow his wonky right ankle to heal.

DeRozan missed three games after turning the ankle in a loss to Phoenix on Jan. 22.

He returned Jan. 29 in a loss to Orlando, but some post-game swelling convinced the team’s medical staff that a two-day, two-game layoff, was in order.

The Raptors medical staff has been nothing if not consistent with its approach to injuries.

The rule of thumb appears to be, when in doubt, hold them out.

This is not a criticism of that approach.

The regular season is a long one and if Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs management team have taught us anything over the past couple of years, it is that sometimes we can get too caught up in short term results, sometimes at the expense of long-term success.

Sitting out DeRozan for a game or two now to give the Raptors a better chance of having him fully healthy when every result is paramount in the playoffs just seems like good business. It’s not a guarantee, but odds.

The Raptors are paying a stiffer price in terms of injuries this year than they have in the past. Through games played Jan. 29, the team has lost players for a total of 103 games due to injury, according to mangameslost.com.

All of last season, that number was just 106, but the numbers are somewhat deceiving.

A full 82 of those games lost this season due to injury are the result of two pre-season surgeries to Jared Sullinger and Delon Wright. Take those away and the Raps have lost just 24 man-games to injury, which puts them right there among the healthiest NBA teams with the Phoenix Suns, who have lost just 25 man-games total due to injury.

“I don’t think too many people got injured last year,” Patrick Patterson said after Tuesday’s win when the subject of injuries came up. “But it seems like this year is the exact opposite. It’s like a domino effect, one after the other. But it’s better that it happens now than in April.”

Patterson missed 10 games himself with a strained left knee. His loss was compounded when Lucas Nogueira was forced to sit out a couple of games while in the NBA concussion protocol. Now it seems it’s DeRozan’s turn.

“With him it’s all about being 100 per cent, pain free, being able to do everything he wants to do and play the way he wants to play before he comes back,” Patterson said of DeRozan.

“I know he wants to get out there as soon as possible, but we’ll do our best to hold it down. We need him 100 per cent before he steps back on the court.” it does bump up the