Raptors Are Toronto's Only Hope

If you live in Toronto, or anywhere near it for that matter, you are probably well aware of the current crisis facing Toronto sports teams. No team has won a major championship since the Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993 and frankly no team has come close. Things have gotten bad in T.O. and before the NBA season started it didn't look like it was going to get better but the Raptors won tonight and hope was renewed.

Fans of Toronto teams are used to losing by now. The Leafs have been a joke since the NHL lockout in 2004-2005. The Blue Jays are in the toughest division in baseball and haven't made the playoffs since their World Series victory in 2003, and Toronto FC is an embarrassment that has yet to make the playoffs as a franchise (granted they were only established in 2007). Basically Toronto teams are useless and so is cheering for them, except the Raptors.

The Raptors have made the playoffs 2 out of the last 3 years and look poised to do so again. They haven't made it out of the 1st round in either of those years but things are looking up for the franchise. Since they are desperate to keep franchise player Chris Bosh around management has gone out of its way to spend money and bring in quality players. This had led to an unprecedented amount of depth.

The Raptors bench boasts the likes of Marcus Banks, Marco Belinelli, Reggie Evans, Jarrett Jack, Amir Johnson, Antoine Wright and Rasho Nesterovic. All of these guys should see some solid minutes and give head coach Jay Triano some decent options off the bench.

Speaking of coach Triano this will be his first full season as Head Coach. Triano was an assistant with the Raptors last year and replaced Sam Mitchell 17 games into the season. Triano is unproven but seems to have really clicked with his team and gets the most out of his players night in and night out.

Triano will have a lot of talent to work with this year as the Raptors starting 5 has some big names including Bosh, Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani and Hedo Turkoglu.

Calderon is getting better every year and last year set career high in minutes, points, and assists while breaking the NBA record for Free Throw percentage. Bargnani has really matured since Triano took over and showed he is an offensive force tonight by scoring 28 points in somewhat limited minutes. Turkoglu was the big free agency signing as he came over from Orlando. He is a big game player and lives for the 4th quarter. He should provide the Raptors with another scoring option besides Bosh.

As for Bosh it is likely he will leave the team at the end of the season. However if he wants to get LeBron and Wade money he will need to have a monster season and show teams he is worth all the green. I personally don't feel Bosh could ever be the best player on a championship team but he will use this season to prove me wrong.

Blue Jays: 75-87 and missed the playoffs

Maple Leafs: 1-7-2 worst team in the league

Toronto FC: 10-11-9 missed the playoffs by losing to the worst team in the league 5-0

Raptors: 1-0

The Raptors play in a weak conference and will prey on teams like the Bobcats, Knicks, Nets, Bucks, and Pacers. They have a legitimate shot at finishing anywhere from 5th to 8th in the standings and doing some damage should they get in.

I know it is only one game into the season and they beat a Cleveland team that had played the Celtics the night before but I like their chances. They blew a 21 point lead at one point but responded and wound up winning the game. Had it been 2008 they would have lost. Baby steps.

They are currently Toronto's last hope at winning a championship and although it seems unlikely they will accomplish that feat they are on the right track.