It went as expected, a group of strangers trying their best under impossible circumstances, showing short bursts but not nearly enough of them, succumbing eventually to the reality of the situation.
The Raptors — or more correctly, the eight players purporting to be the Raptors — were clobbered 144-99 by the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Sunday, hardly a surprise for a group that met for the first time on the court about 90 minutes before tipoff.
They did their best; it wasn’t enough. The result was predictable.
And in these alarming, ever-changing times it will go down as one of the dark moments in franchise history.