By Brian A. Lester

Oh Canada, what in the name of Maple Leaf nation has happened to your beloved Toronto Raptors?

Actually, the answer to that question is easy. Injuries, injuries and more injuries.

The Raptors were once considered to be a team on the rise in the NBA, but right now, they are a team with several of their best players casting for roles on league's version of ER. No word yet if George Clooney will assume the role lead doctor.

So where do we start when examining the Raptors' travails?

The obvious choice is Vince Carter, who has been missing in action for 14 games with a strained right patella tendon. As a not-so-surprising result, the Raptors have lost 10 of those games, all in a row no less.

Voshon Leonard joined the ever-growing injured list recently, and he will miss two to four weeks with an ankle sprain.

Legendary center Hakeem Olajuwon is still out with a lower back sprain and it's hard to say when, or if, he will ever return rather than just retire and call it a career.

Eric Montross is out with a broken left foot, Lamond Murray hasn't played all year because of a ligament tear in his right foot and backup center Mamadou N'diaye has been out of action for 25 games with a stress fracture in his right heel.

Honestly, can it get much worse?

Well, it could if the remaining Raptors all trip and break their fingers coming out of the locker room before a game, but the odds of that happening are as likely as Ohio State beating Miami in a double-overtime thriller for the national championship.

Oh wait, that did happen. Never mind then.

Seriously, though, if Carter did get healthy and return to being the player that electrifies crowds with dazzling dunks and punishing scoring performances, then there is hope that the Raptors can recover in time to snag a playoff spot in the mediocre-at-best Eastern Conference.

For now, though, the Raptors simply need to worry about getting healthy. Otherwise, the league's version of ER starring the Toronto Raptors will be airing on a television station near you real soon.

Brian Lester is a sportswriter in Ohio and can be reached via email at BAL4@hotmail.com.