These are uncharacteristically hard times for the Raptors, with injuries decimating the heart of the roster, and the only thing they can do to survive is ask players to take on uncharacteristically different roles.
They need bit players to be consistent contributors, passive sorts to be more aggressive, backups to become regulars.
They need some topsy-turvy rotation machinations in order to tread water in the hyper-competitive upper echelon of the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
“We gotta play better, first and foremost,” Fred VanVleet said Friday, before adding the key codicil to that plan.
“Everybody from myself to Kyle (Lowry), everybody that’s on the court has to play better, but at the same time we could use a couple boosts from guys to get us through some of those rough stretches, and maybe get us over the hump sometimes.