The Toronto Raptors are in Utah to face the Jazz on Friday night looking to end an eight-game road losing streak

The Raptors met the Kings in Sacramento Wednesday in the second contest of a five-game road trip and were beaten 107-100.

The Jazz have stumbled out of the gate to a 10-10 start but dispelled the Magic in an 87-81 victory in their last outing Wednesday.

Here are some points to consider ahead of tonight’s game:

Jonas off the bench?

The Raptors were dominated in the paint by the Kings in Wednesday night’s loss and some in the media speculated that coach Dwane Casey would make some changes to his rotation but it will be status quo on Friday night.

Valanciunas WILL start for the #Raptors tonight.No changes (re: starters) according to Casey.@sportsnet @fan590 #SmithAndJones #RTZ

— Eric Smith (@Eric__Smith) December 7, 2012

While many local fans would rather see Andrea Bargnani moved to the bench, Casey believes the Raptors need him on the floor dut to his ability to drag defenders outside creates space for others including Kyle Lowry who needs that space to operate.

“Going back to him, yeah I (thought about it). But we needed spacing for Kyle to get to the bucket and Andrea spaced the floor for us. It gives us another three-point shooter but again it spaced the floor for Kyle to get into the paint because he had it going,” Casey said after Wednesday’s game.

No changes to Raps starting five tonight. Casey said they thought about and still are but timing was wrong.

— Mike Ganter (@Mike_Ganter) December 7, 2012

Casey informed reporters at the shootaround that small forward Linas Kleiza would be available after missing the last couple of games with a hip ailment.
Remember when?

Bargnani was injured twice last season. He was flying high over the first several games of the campaign until being sidelined by a calf injury. The Italian missed six games and then returned to face the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz in back-to-back contests.

Against Phoenix in January, he dropped in 36 points in a 99-96 win and then the Raptors hit Utah one night later.

Bargnani would score 25 points a night later in the Raptors double-overtime win but would not finish the game as he strained his calf again.

He has not been the same player since and these days the cries are growing louder and louder for his exit from Toronto.

Frustrations building…

While fans may be getting frustrated with the play of the local side, it appears that they aren’t the only ones.

After having lost eight of nine, the players themselves seem to getting stressed out although they are trying to maintain a positive attitude.

“I can’t put into words how frustrating this is. It just sucks,” Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan told Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. “We try to work as hard as we can, but the ball don’t bounce our way, it don’t go in when we need it to go in, everything you can think of goes against us.

“We just have to keep fighting. We can’t hold our heads down. We have to keep fighting.”

…On both sides

Jazz power forward Paul Millsap has not had the best start to the season as he adjusts to a new role with the team.

His numbers have dipped slightly across the board and to no one’s surprise he is a tad frustrated.

“I’m human,” he told the Salt Lake Tribune after Wednesday night’s win over Orlando. “Of course frustration is there. You’re going to get frustrated at times. But it’s what you do after that. My teammates give me confidence. I’ve just got to continue to stay positive and stay with it and hope it turns around.”

Millsap broke out a of a two-week slump in that game with 22 points.