Raptors face tall task vs. Timberwolves, down to eight available players

The Toronto Raptors won't have RJ Barrett, Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, or Gary Trent Jr., in the lineup against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Barrett is being held out for knee injury management with the team playing on back-to-back nights, and Olynyk will be sidelined due to rest rest as well. Meanwhile, Brown and Trent Jr., were late scratches because of a knee injury and back spasms, respectively.

Barrett, Brown, Olynyk, and Trent Jr., join Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji, Chris Boucher, D.J. Carton, and Jontay Porter on the inactive list.

The Raptors got Barrett (and Immanuel Quickley) back in the lineup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday after he missed six games following the death of his brother. He scored 28 points, also racking up six assists and six rebounds in his return.

Unfortunately, the additions weren't enough as the Raptors saw their losing streak reach 14 games.

Snapping the skid was already going to be a tall task for a 23-52 Raptors team taking on the 52-23 Timberwolves, but it'll be even more challenging without any of their rotational centers. Instead, it'll be a combination of two-way player Mouhamadou Gueye and recent 10-day signee Malik Williams taking on Minnesota big man Rudy Gobert (7-foot-1) in the paint.

The only other time these squads faced off this season was in their season opener in which the Raptors won 97-94 with a squad that was much healthier and included Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Dennis Schroder in the starting lineup - all of whom have been traded since then. The Raptors will be down to eight available players against the Timberwolves who'll be missing starting point guard Mike Conley.

Toronto's longest losing streak in franchise history came back in the 1997-98 season when they lost 17 in a row.