It's quite the time to be a basketball fan, especially here in Canada with our Toronto Raptors winning a third straight division title, setting a new single season record for wins and keeping pace with the conference leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

On top of that the Syracuse Orange, who I believe to be Canada's NCAA team, are currently Cinderella-ing their way through March Madness. Tonight they take on the last remaining number 1 seed, from North Carolina. Somehow Syracuse has pulled off 2 straight come from behind victory's to land themselves in the Final Four for just the second time since winning the National Championship in 2004.

What's especially impressive about Syracuse's season is the fact that is comes on the heels of a year where the University self imposed a March Madness ban.

Unfortunately I do believe that this Syracuse story does not have a happy ending. The Tarheels are number 1 for a reason. That reason being that they don't lose much. The proof can seen with their post-season performance thus far with all their wins coming by double digit point differentials. Do I see that being SU's fate? Yes, yes I do. North Carolina's combination of size, good shooting and depth will just be too much for Canada's Team.

The other side of the bracket see's 2 number 2 seeds going against each other and its a match-up that features the Villanova Wildcats who less then a week ago eliminated the tournaments top team in Kansas and the Oklahoma Sooners who are being led by the tournaments MVP, thus far, Buddy Hield. I'll be honest... I haven't paid much attention to either team this tournment but what I have felt from the get go was that Nova will be the tournament dark horse. So I shall stick with that gut feeling and have them advancing to the finals, on Monday night, only to lose a close high scoring championship game to North Carolina.

Now on to the big boys!

The Raptors continued to add to their win total last night but could not gain any ground on Lebron James as he led his team to an overtime victory against the Atlanta Hawks, while passing Oscar Robertson for the 11 spot on the all time scoring list.

It's been an impressive run this past month for Toronto but I saw everything I needed to see Monday night when the Oklahoma City Thunder came into the ACC and laid the smack down on the Raps in a 119-100 win. Not only did they lose by alot, but they gave up alot which is a big problem since Dwane Casey's main objective each and every game is to play solid defense. Some might say it was a small bump in the road and that they should be judged based on the past month where they have been one of the leagues hottest teams.

I'm not part of that group. I knew OKC would win because when it comes to playing "up" to their opponents the Raptors always seem to fall short. Yes they beat Cleveland twice this year but do you honestly believe they survive a 7 games series and advance to the Finals by beating a healthy Cavalier squad? I didn't think so.

Even if they did pull out that miracle do you think they could do it again against OKC, San Antonio or the NBA best Golden State Warriors? The answer is no! And if it's not a NO for you then please tell me... what do you know? Is Masai Ujiri actually a genie and he's accumulated at least 8 wishes that he's willing to use all of this year? You think I sound crazy? You should hear yourself thinking the Raptors have a chance.

Nonetheless, I am still a big fan of the Raptors and their push toward the playoffs. So much so that my buddy, Squeak, and I will be going to a game this week which will be the first time ever I will be cheering for the Raptors in person. No, this isn't going to be my first game, I've probably been too about 10 games but I've either been there too see my favourite player of all-time, Penny Hardaway, the Lakers and Kobe Bryant or I got free tickets and I didn't care of the outcome.

This year is different. This is the first time since Vince Carter's departure that I actually believe Canada has a winner in the NBA. If it wasn't for the fact that neither the Warriors or the Spurs will lose a home game this year, small over exaggeration, I would give Kyle Lowry the MVP trophy, no questions asked. He has put this team on his back and really puts the importance of the point guard position on display as he leads his team on the court and in the locker room. Unfortunately both the point guard and the centre positions have lost their significance with the likes of 6 foot 9 inches super humans playing the shooting guard or "small forward". Yes, Steph Curry is the exception... as per usual.

I do believe this will be the year that Toronto advances the furthest they ever gone in the post season, but it will be a forgotten season in the near future as no one really remembers who finishes 5th or 6th.
It's the perfect time of year to be jonesing for basketball! Go Raps! Go Orange!

Ps. Every sports blog I have ever written has been done so while watching a sporting match of some kind... until today. Instead I watched Happy Gilmore! Behind Jerry MacGuire and Remember the Titans it might be my favourite sports movie and behind Step Brothers and the first Anchorman film it might be one of the funniest. I still find myself quoting it almost every other day.

PPS. Yes, I did turn a Disney Princess into a verb.