Raptors missing 12 due to health protocol

The Toronto Raptors were once again severely short-handed heading into Thursday’s game against the Celtics in Boston.

For the second straight night, the Raptors will be without five players, head coach Nick Nurse and six other members of the coaching staff due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Starters Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby will not be available, as well as Malachi Flynn and Patrick McCaw.

Without the key players and members of the coaching staff, the Raptors were thumped 129-105 by visiting Detroit on Wednesday with assistant coach Sergio Scariolo in charge for the second straight game.

The NBA goes into its all-star break after Thursday’s action, which will offer a welcome respite for the Raptors. Toronto’s next game is March 11.

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Thursday he was “absolutely not aware” of any sexual harassment allegations against Mickey Callaway during their time together with the Cleveland Indians organization.

Atkins, who was the Indians executive who oversaw Callaway’s hiring by Cleveland in 2010, said the team failed by not creating an environment for such allegations to be properly addressed.

“There is no chance that we would have overlooked that if we had had any signs of that type of behaviour,” Atkins said.

Callaway was most recently the Los Angeles Angels’ pitching coach but he has been suspended while Major League Baseball investigates allegations of inappropriate behaviour toward several women who work in sports media. Callaway has also previously served as manager of the New York Mets.

Atkins called the situation “disheartening and sad” and apologized to those affected.

“As a leader, it’s our responsibility to ensure that our staff feels safe, supported,” Atkins said. “I deeply apologize to anyone who ever faced harassment or didn’t feel comfortable to come forward. I see that as a failure on my part that there weren’t the proper channels for someone to feel safe to come forward. As a leader in that organization, that’s heartbreaking for me.”

Atkins said he has not been contacted by MLB regarding the investigation but said he would be willing to co-operate if asked.

The Athletic reported last month that several women gave detailed accounts of multiple instances of aggressive, inappropriate acts by Callaway over five years while he was employed by three teams.

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