Screw the Raptors!! Efman is on a game thread winning streak!! BOOYA!!!!!!!!!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just noticed how incredibly bad the East is this year. Two teams are on pace for 34 wins and making the playoffs. Is this some kind of record? 8-22 Philadelphia is only four and a half games out of a playoff spot. How did this happen? I need to get my head out of my books and pay more attention.

There is a giant gap between the top 4 teams and the rest of the East. Every time a team makes it to the playoffs with a sub .500 record it makes me feel dirty, it's unnatural.

Correct, meaningless sex should make you feel dirty. Not a basketball team full of men....

any why were we ever concerned about making the playoffs? the east, despite the claims of analysts every year, is an incredibly flawed conference. it would be interesting for someone to investigate why.

Theory I heard was that everyone was selling their soul to beat Jorden and it handcuffed franchises for years.

You'd think it would have passed by now.

The playoffs aren't quite the same when you have a bunch of first round sweeps because you have Boston going up against a sub.500 8th seed. Yes there is a chance for an upset but most times you are just watching a couple good teams dismantle the rest of the conference.

On the other hand would I object to the Raptors making the payoffs with a sub.500 record? No but that doesn't mean we deserve to be in the Playoffs.

Anyway, here's to hoping we keep Charlotte under 100! Derozan has been quiet the last couple games so I would like to see him bust out against a team like Charlotte who like to get up and down the floor, double digit assists from Turkey glue would be nice as well.

maybe it just depleted the talent pool in the east so much that it became difficult for the eastern conf to bring back talent without overpaying for free agents, or getting them through the draft (which the west gets as many lottery picks as the east)

on a similar note, if the raps will make the playoffs even if they only win 34 games or so, what's a better scenario? miss the playoffs and keep our pick, or make the playoffs and lose it?

Weems, Johnson and DeRozan are actually making this team alot of fun to watch.

Can I get some commentary here? What's going on out there?!

Great quarter from Bellinelli.

So um, did Hedo get injured?

I think they said "left knee contusion" or somethings like that. He wasn't noticeably injured during the first half. This could be the closest the Raptors get to .500 for a while, with a tough start to January, but I think by the end of the season, they should be a winning team.

Damn, did the level of swagger by Bargnani after he hit that three surprise anyone? It feels like he's been in a coma since his rookie season, this is the first time I can remember where he showed some emotion in years.

I will call it a great winning streak if it is still on after the Boston game. If they lose to 1/3 of the big three like they did in San Antonio it is same old garbage for me.

Haha...we actually know it is same old garbage but we can always fantasize.

Jose has bad timing. He was injured during the easist stretch of the season. And looks like he'll return in the middle of another tough stretch. Even with the light schedule our defense has improved, Even Marcus Banks isnt afraid to throw some 'bows'. A trade involving Jose may improve the team, but i think if he is traded it was due to the timing of his injury and not entirely too his sub par play. The media will be stirring the pot shortly.

Good point. If Jose comes back into the lineup and we see the opponents numbers creep back up then it may be time to open up the discussion again but to trade him at this point would be premature. We just can't seem to avoid drama at the point guard position.

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I had to rewatch this on the DVR several times. BARGS with the passion!