Early reports indicate that DeMar DeRozan will suit up for the Raptors tonight against Hornets in the final regular season game of the season.
Without DeRozan, the Raptors dropped one in Boston last night which will leave them shy of the 50-win total. DeRozan sat out the game after feeling some tightness in his groin, which is the same area of the body which caused him to miss 21 games.
Dwane Casey commented on the slight setback:
DeRozan said the tightness was on the other side of his body from the groin/hip injury that cost him 21 games earlier this season, the first serious injury of his long career, and insisted he could have played had it been absolutely vital.
And coach Dwane Casey said he was just following guidance provided by the team’s medical staff.
“If it’d been a playoff game he probably could have gone but I was going with the training staff and what they recommended to rest him, to not take a chance, get another day’s rest,” said Casey. “I don’t remember what game it was, Orlando or Miami, he pulled it a little bit so that was their call.”
The game is a must-win for the Raptors if they hope to face Milwaukee in the playoffs, though the players aren’t openly admitting that that’s what they want.
