Toronto - First Place Baby!!

No...not the Leafs.....they are struggling a wee bit.
No...not the Argos...their season is over.
Not TFC (dead last this year) - Not the Toronto Rock (season is a month away).

Yes Basketball fans...you figured it out. The perennial powerhouse Toronto Raptors are in first place (in the Atlantic Division) in the NBA's Eastern Conference, and don't forget, being in first place, they are also seated 4th in the Conference and if the season ended today...they would HOST a playoff series.

Ha!!

That is amazing!! - Why is it so amazing?

Is it because they are on a roll right now?  No - they have lost 3 in a row.
Is it because they came out of the gates smoking? -No - Mediocre at best.

How is this possible...that a team that is playing "so so" (actually worse then that) - that has lost 3 in a row, and really don't look like they can win on any given night...how is it possible that they are in First Place?


Answer.

Amazing really - to me anyway.

This is not normally a slouch division, but alas, nobody here cares about winning, or just can't.

Raptors have 6 wins and 10 losses and are in first place. Now that is funny. (or is it sad)?

This is one of the reasons I am not a big fan of Divisions. I prefer Conferences....line up all the teams in One Big Conference and the top 8 teams are in. Seems too easy, too logical, maybe that is why it will never happen.

I am a big basketball fan...and furthermore I love the Toronto Raptors. I want a good team, a competitive team, and I want my team in the playoffs.

                                          Demar Derozan - A bright sport for the Raptors.

I was at the Raptor/Miami Heat game last week. The Heat won, 90 - 83. Nobody is surprised by that result. The Heat are two time defending champions, so big deal, they beat the lowly Raptors. But this is where true fans get mad. If you watched that game, Miami did not win..."easily" They did not dominate. The Raptors had so many chances, but missed open shots, made silly mistakes, sloppy turnovers etc. The Raptors could have won this, and The Raptors could win many other games this year they have lost...but they still have that one missing ingredient. This missing element from Toronto has been missing for a long time. The "Killer Instinct". I am not talking about one or two guys. I am talking the whole team. They have to be able to play with a lead and close it out. They can't. They won't. They let game after game after game get away. No Killer instinct.


Good teams close the deal. Are you hearing me Raptors? - Get mad. play tough. Close the deal.

But for now?  First place baby!!!!