With 15 games under their belt and only one win to show for it, the Toronto Raptors could still contend for a title: worst team in NBA history.
On pace for just five and a half wins, the Raptors are well on their way to challenging the 1972-1973 Philadelphia 76ers' dubious record. The 76ers won nine games in that season, a record that has stood for over 30 years.
Despite its struggles, Toronto almost knocked off the Dallas Mavericks, one of the best teams in the league, on Monday night. With 1:42 left in the game, the Raptors led 89-83.
Yet, as they have done all season, the Raptors found a way to lose, dropping to 1-14 on the season. With 1:42 left, Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki drilled the first of two three-pointers to bring the Mavs even with the Raptors. Then, after Toronto's Matt Bonner hit a shot to tie the game with two seconds left, Dallas inbounded the ball to Jason Terry who streaked into the lane and hit a runner over Toronto's Chris Bosh to win the game and save Dallas some embarrassment.
Instead, it was the Raptors who went home embarrassed. The Raptors dropped their first nine contests of the season before ending the drought with a surprising 107-94 win over the Miami Heat.
Raptors fans had to expect a rough season when the team dropped a home exhibition game to Maccabi Tel Aviv, the first win for Tel Aviv against an NBA team in 27 years. The embarrassment continued when the Raptors dropped their third game of the season to the Detroit Pistons by 33 points.
The Raptors have had 10 different players appear in the starting lineup as they search for an answer. Aside from Bosh, the team's star, and Mike James, no Raptor has started every game. Jalen Rose had started in the team's first 14, but Coach Sam Mitchell benched him for the Mavericks game because of his poor play of late.
Rose, who the team hoped would help Bosh fill the scoring void left by the departure of Vince Carter last season, has struggled all year. The veteran is shooting just 34.3 percent from the floor and scoring 11.6 points per game.
The only thing saving the Raptors from a demotion to the NBDL has been the play of Bosh and James. James has manned the point guard spot all year and provided some offense for the Toronto, pitching in 16.9 points per game.
Bosh, however, is the team's go-to-guy. In his third season, he is blossoming, scoring 21.2 points a game and averaging 10.1 rebounds. Bosh is another star in a draft class that included LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Kirk Hinrich.
His play has kept the Raptors from being blown out night after night. The Raptors have actually been within eight points of winning in nine of their 14 losses, but as bad teams do, they have found a way to lose each time.
If the Raptors keep losing at this prodigious pace, 73 losses could be well in reach.
Another team who appeared destined earlier in the season to follow the fate of the 1972-1973 76ers is the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks lost their first nine of the season before inexplicably pulling off a two-game win streak. On Nov. 23, they pulled off their first victory of the season, a 120-117 triumph over the Boston Celtics. Two days later, they somehow managed to beat the Indiana Pacers on the road. The Hawks followed up their mini hot streak with a two-point loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
With a lineup that features Al Harrington and Joe Johnson, the Hawks are proving that, while they certainly won't make the playoffs, they have a chance to be respectable. Johnson and Harrington are joined by a talented young cast featuring Salim Stoudamire, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith and Josh Childress.
While the Hawks don't appear to be a version of the 2004-2005 Chicago Bulls, a team that went from 0-9 to the third best record in the Eastern Conference, they might be able to achieve respectability, especially if the highly-touted Williams starts to develop.
