Blazers @ Raptors Preview: Raptors Roulette - Turk You're Up

Hey Hedo!

Remember that day? Raptors fans surely do. That was the day you arrived in Portland and gave the Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard a false sense of security - all before backstabbing him for Toronto. Don't get us wrong, that was real sweet of you. No ones ever picked us before like that. But we're thinking the honeymoon may be over now.

So now it becomes a matter of "What have you done for me lately?"

And with the official word that 5 time All-Star Chris Bosh will sit out tonight, there only grows even more of an expectation that Hedo Turkoglu steps up. This season has definitely had its ups and downs. I would even almost call it poetic. Or to be even bolder - scripted. For those of you remember experiencing our first ever Atlantic Division championship season, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It all seems too good to be true, like the season could be turned into a movie.

I'm not J.J. Abrams, but let me bust out the scripts:

Film: Taking The Atlantic
Director: Bryan Colangelo
Producer: Sam Mitchell
Plot: An exiled basketball team does the unexpected and hires one of the most respected General Managers in the world of basketball to bring them to untold fame and glory. Realizing that very little players actually want to play for this team, the "Golden Boy" GM looks elsewhere and ends up hiring miscasts to play for him. With countless new faces, the team unfortunately struggles right away. There is no chemistry. There is no cohesion. There is no will to win. But most importantly, there is no belief in one's own ability. Until finally, a boiling point is reached and an individual finally accepts his destiny as leader. Suddenly, this ragtag team begins to find ways to win. Buzzer beaters. Blowouts. And a family-bond is forged. Together, they surprisingly win their division title. It's the true "Underdog" story, that comes to a thrilling climax when they face their biggest nemesis in the playoffs...

Film: Taking The Atlantic 2
Director: Bryan Colangelo
Producer: Jay Triano
Three years since their most successful season as a franchise, everything has finally gone downhill. The team is in total disarray. Players have come and gone. The "Golden Boy" has lost his following. And the team finds themselves back at square one. On the verge of possibly losing his leader and best player, the "Golden Boy" decides to modify the "Formula" that initially earned him his fame. This time around, not only does he revamp the team with multiple new faces and miscasts, but he also ends up acquiring the most sought after player in free agency. With countless new faces, the team unfortunately struggles right away. There is no chemistry. There is no cohesion. There is no will to win. But most importantly, there is no belief in one's own ability. Until finally, a boiling point is reached and they go through an "Emergency Team Meeting". The result? The team begins to hit their stride and play to their potential; ultimately becoming one of the hottest teams in the NBA...

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See what I mean Raptors fans? It's like Disney's Mighty Ducks all over again! And how "Hollywood" would it be if Turkoglu's finest hour as a Raptor up to this point ends up being against the team he decided to ditch for us! So stay tuned tonight at 7 pm EST on The Score!

Lights. Camera. Action!