Turk woke up today and kept his eyes opened during a game!!

The Raptors dropped their pants tonight. By that I mean they beat the Knickerbockers. Beat their Knickerbockers off. Ok I promise to stop those since only I find it funny. Nothing better than betting New York in Manhattan and shutting up those fans. I don't even know why they bother coming out. Their team stinks and they've stunk for as long as I've been a bball fan. They've had one good season I could think of and they didn't win a championship. I don't know why this team isn't mentioned in the same breathe of other worst teams in history. I know they have had success in the ancient past but I am talking about modern era. They're just as bad as the Clippers but this season the Clips are better than the Knicks!

Gotta love this win especially after that stupid jersey pull and look Harrington had on his face when he made it 100-97 for the Knicks. He looked like a jackass and I am glad he got his ass blocked by Bargs in the dying minutes and got the charge call from Jack. Things of note, or obvious crap that probably everyone noticed:

• Turk played his best game as a Raptor and after months of bashing, I think he deserves some props. He played with some fire and intensity that we haven't seen from him with a Raptors jersey on. Maybe the fatigue of last season plus the euro tourney finally wore off in Manhattan. His jumper was on after the first quarter and he showed some great play making and drives to the basket. Those dunks aren't gonna win any slam dunk contests but they were evidence that he could get off the ground a little. I hope he keeps this up but I hope this isn't a symptom of Bargs being on the bench most of the night. I am worried that having him and Bargs who have similar inside-outside games, are getting in each other's way somehow. Both like that midrange game as well as operating on the left side of the floor.
  

• Turk also had a weird post game interview with Jack that left Jack speechless. Jack asked him what he thought was the difference tonight that allowed him to elevate his game. Turk responded by saying, "BALL". He sounded like a sasquatch like he usually does so maybe that scared Jack. No, it wasn't just having that ball Turk, you idiot. It was the fact that you actually did something smart with it when you got it and didn't just jack up ill-advised shots early in a possession, or throw lazy passes that end up as a basket for the other team.
  

• Bargs played like crap. Bargs was receiving praise from everyone before the game. I mean just hours before this game, and then he proceeded to lay a stink bomb. On paper it would seem this way and he certainly didn't play a good game. However, reports indicate that he has been bothered by the same back injury that kept him out of the Bucks game last week, the ankle that is apparently tweaked, and the foot that is also injured somehow. All of these things would effect a person's jump shot and mobility. Bargs still managed to help the team win by blocking Harrington's wrinkled scalp back to the stone ages and playing some fantastic defense on Harrington on the last inbound play which I thought was an offensive foul on Harrington when he blatantly shoved Bargs right in front of the ref.

• This is also a significant win cause it was the back end of a back to back which the Raptors are notorious for being awful in. I thought, "here we go again" after the first quarter but the Raptors showed the heart and fight that has been in their nature the past month and roughed it out.

People have said that this team will not be a good playoff team and they are right. However, this team seems to be showing signs of the grit and determination needed in the post season. If they make wins of this nature habit, then they are hopefully developing the characteristics of being a post season contender. Here's hoping.

Studs: Turk, Cb4, Amir, Jose, Double J

Duds: Bargs, Smellineli, Rasho