After a brief 2-game winning streak with Andrea Bargnani back in the lineup, the Raptors returned to their losing ways without their best player on the floor. Nene had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Danilo Gallinari had 21 points and 7 rebounds and Rudy Fernandez provided 23 points off the bench including 5-7 three pointers as the Nuggets handed the Raptors a 96-81 defeat in Denver. Andre Miller also added 12 points and 13 assists.
Toronto’s first quarter woes continued in this one as they were unable to stop Nene in the post early on while enduring a 1-15 stretch from the field to trail 28-12 after one. The Raptors fell down by as many as 22 in the third quarter before Leandro Barbosa (19 pts) and Jerryd Bayless (18 pts) provided a much needed spark to help the Raptors cut the lead to 6 with 9:37 left in the fourth. The Raptors would get no closer as the Nuggets would outscore them 16-7 the rest of the way for the win.
The Raptors fell to 6-14, which breaks down to 6-7 with Bargnani and 0-7 without him. Bargnani is listed as out indefinitely with a left calf strain.
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