To some teams, 18-17 is respectable. There are at least 19, 763 fans in New York who would be delirious if the Knicks were that good. To Michael Grange, who covers the Raptors for the Toronto Globe and Mail, 18-17 is fine considering the hand the team has been dealt. Chris Bosh was hurt before the season began, then strained his right groin against Memphis on Nov. 28. He’s just rounding into form.
Additionally, T.J. Ford developed a left arm ‘stinger’ on Nov. 20, and Jorge Garbajosa underwent surgery on his left ankle on Dec. 11. Each of them sat out against the Knicks on January 11.
Grange also said, that despite the Raptors’ influx of foreign-born players [five countries outside the US are represented], there doesn’t seem to a lack of communication on the court. In fact, several players do speak Italian, and have used their bilingualism to confuse opponents.