The Toronto Raptors were going to be playoffs contenders this season. No guarantees, but the additions of Kyle Lowry from Houston and restricted free agent Landry Fields from New York together with a healthy Andrea Bargnani, an improving DeMar DeRozan and the highly touted rookie center Jonas Valanciunas seemed like more than enough to have Toronto fighting for a playoff spot in April.

With a record of 4-14 and in the midst of a five game western road trip that has four games remaining, whispers about the Raptors season being over before it even truly gets going are becoming louder.

“Our record is pretty bad,” Andrea Bargnani said. “Everybody is frustrated. We have to try and get some wins. That is all we care about. We are right there, but being right there doesn’t mean anything. We just have to try and win because nobody is going to help us from the outside. We just have to do it ourselves. We just have to win, that’s it. There is not much to say.”

via Stephen Brotherston of HOOPSWORLD