The Raptors have always talked about the final seven weeks of the regular season as some sort of cure for what ails them, a time of an easier schedule loaded with home games against weak teams. The talk, so far, has been cheap.
They haven't shown any ability to back up their words with deeds and now that the time to make a move is really upon them, it'll be interesting to see how they handle it. If it's been like any other significant stretch of the season where they knew they had to perform, they'll likely fall on their faces.
Beginning Friday, the Raptors play nine of 11 games at home and have 13 of their final 20 at the Air Canada Centre, which has given them some sense of optimism, even if it may be misguided.
And with so many teams between the Raptors and a playoff spot, no one's able to make an educated guess of how many of those games they'll have to win.
"It's not something that I've personally put a number on but I think that we look at the schedule and we're putting our faith in the fact that the schedule tends to shift a little bit and we've got a homestand coming up," said veteran guard Anthony Parker. "You never know what can happen, that's where I'm at."
ROCKETS 107, RAPTORS 97: Toronto's bench was outscored 44-16 and even 25-point nights from Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani couldn't carry the Raptors to a rare road win.
Jason Kapono, Joey Graham and Roko Ukic were a combined 6-for-23 shooting for the Raptors, who have now lost three in a row.
And while they did a passable job on Yao Ming, holding him to just 20 points, the Raptors were lit up for a career-best 22 points from Carl Landry and 20 points and 16 rebounds from Luis Scola.
