Oh No For West Coast

A different script but the same result a loss. After a 3rd straight loss (To Golden State) Chris Bosh expressed his frustration with what was going on with this team. Why should he be any different than all of us. The difference is Bosh is the one that becomes a free agent at the end of the season and hearing stuff like that will get an even larger reaction than normal. This on the heels of comments from Triano that this team was selfish and Colangelo making comments about agents complaining about clients minutes. None of it in the end impacted on the Raptors enough to change things.

It was a different script from the last 2 games where the Raptors had decent first half performances only to blow the games in the 3rd quarter. In this one the Raptors would trail the Blazers by 11 points at the half. Jose Calderon would get the start in the second half. He had played well in the loss to Golden State. The Raptors would actually fight in the the second half and cut to the lead to 2. When the Raptors had got it close Bosh had a key turnover and had 3 on the night after 6 the night before. Blazers fans were booing Hedo Turkoglu all night long. Clearly the don't read the Dino Nation Blog in Portland cause if they did they would realize HeDon't more than HeDo. Portland fans should have been chanting THANK YOU HEDO for not signing with the Blazers. As I tweeted last night I would gladly take Andre Miller for Hedo straight up right now.

The Raptors in the end fall to defeat 109-98 Portland and go 0 for 4 on the trip. They are on a 5 game losing streak and fall below .500 for the first time since January. What makes all of this even more concerning is with the exception of the Bulls in 9th all the teams around the Raptors are playing well. The Bucks at the top of that list who now sit 5 games in front of the Raptors in 5th where the Raptors sat prior to this post All Star Break collapse. Heat and Bobcats are also starting to win as well. Things do not get any easier for the Raptors when they return home. The Hawks and Thunder are 2 teams that if Raptors were playing well would still be of concern. Athletic teams that have always caused issues for this Raptors team.

The Raptors could easily be staring at a 7 game losing streak taking on the Nets who the Raptors have beat all 3 times they have met this season. In short things are not good. This week March Madness gets rolling so later today I am going to do an interview taking a look at that with a focus on Canadians in the Tournament.

If you would like a Raptors distraction the Dino Nation Blog has you covered with a couple March Madness pools on The Score and Yahoo.

Sign up for The Score's Bracket Busters Contest then

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Talk about not the greatest timing but despite the Raptors struggles RUN THIS BAR RAPTORS WEDNESDAYS will still go as planned at 291 Queenston Road here in Hamilton. This Wednesday be in the house for Raptors and Hawks( March 17th) and will be giving away 2 tickets to see Raptors look to get some revenge on The Warriors on April 4th. Be at the event to have your chance to win.

One last thing here is my appearance from on the Weekend on Team 990 in Montreal on the franchise radio show talking NBA and Raptors.