Two distinctions for the Toronto Raptors

(Photo by Ned Dishman, Getty Images)

The Toronto Raptors are one of the newest franchises in the NBA, yet they are already doing something the league hasn’t seen before. For one thing, the Raptors are the holders of one of the longest, most miscellaneous records that you’ve probably never heard of. Since 1999, the Raptors have made at least one three-pointer in every game they’ve played in, and the streak is now at 881 straight games -- several times longer than the previous record. The streak is awfully impressive considering how little continuity the Raptors have had from 1999 to 2009, and considering that they weren’t even that good during that time.

The other thing that the Raptors are gunning for may or may not be a record, though I suspect it might be. Right now, the Raptors have a starting lineup that consists of Jose Calderon (Spain), DeMar DeRozan (American), Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey), Chris Bosh (American) and Andrea Bargnani (Italian). In the off chance that Chris Bosh gets injured -- and by off chance, I mean it happens every year -- Toronto could put in Rasho Nesterovic to fill in his spot. If that happens, the Raptors would have a starting lineup of five players with five separate nationalities -- which if nothing else would be totally original.

It speaks to a larger point though. The Raptors are no threat to go to the NBA Finals, but if they somehow managed to (just out of luck), the ratings they would garner would be astronomically low -- maybe the worst ever. Since 2005, when the post-Vince Carter era officially began, Toronto has been 26th, 30th, 24th, 29th, and 28th in road attendance. Now just imagine if Toronto -- a foreign city -- somehow managed to make it to the finals with only one American in the starting lineup? Ratings disaster.