Live from the Rose Garden, as the Trail Blazers take on the best team with a Jurassic Park-related name, the Gainesville Goldblums Toronto Raptors. The Blazers have won 8 in a row, but to get to nasty number nine, they’ll have to defeat THE GREATEST NBA TEAM FROM CANADA!*

* Also, the only team from Canada.

Tonight, it’s America vs. America Jr.!
Regular bacon vs. round bacon!
Sizzlin’ live blog action starts now…

Pre-Game:
Ok, tonight is kind of a big deal. Not only are the Blazers barreling towards a 9 game win streak, but they are welcoming back LaMarcus Aldridge from a five game absence. But none of that compares to the news that if they win tonight, they'll in second place in the Northwest Division, since Utah has already lost tonight.

Also, more streak news. A win tonight also vaults them ahead of the Boston Celtics as the team with the most consecutive wins in the NBA. Dang.

But before you pop the sparkling cider (it's a work night), the Raptors are the real deal, a on-the-rise franchise with a ferocious defense that, as of late, has been only allowing opponents to score 84 points a game, while the Blazers have been averaging 105 points a night during their streak. Something has got to give, people!

First Quarter:
11:00 - A minute in and the Raptors already have four offensive rebounds. Gulp. 4-0 Raptors

7:32 - Aldridge at the rim for a dunk... but blocked by the moon. Wha? Oh, it's just Jamario Moon. Common mistake. 12-9 Raptors.

5:25 - Brandon Roy carries the ball—you just can't do that—and it's turnover number four. Both teams look sharp, especially Toronto and their ability to get themselves in the passing lane. 20-16 Raptors.

3:38 - Blake with an ankle-breaking crossover move that leads to a pass to Martell Webster, who knocks down the three. This is what the experts call a "tie" game. 22 up.

2:15 - File this under the "what the fuck?" category, as the Blazers are shooting 71% from the floor, yet are still losing 28-25.

0:25 - It took all quarter, but the Blazers take the lead. 31-30. Now it's time to see what the Red & Black's bench can do in the second quarter.

Second Quarter:
9:53 - Hey, it's turnover number six. That's no good, no good at all. Remember Blazers, despite their harmless nature, these Canadians are not your friends. Stop handing them the ball. 38-35 Dinos.

8:25 - Angry over his girlie name, Toronto's Andrea Bargnani knocks Sergio Rodriguez to the floor (clearly jealous of the manly name of "Sergio") but escapes the foul call. Nice one, Boy Named Sue. 40-37 Canucks.

8:04 - Travis Outlaw's dunk was just blocked by Kris Humphries. Ok, that sentence did not do it justice. Dude was BLOCKED. B-L-O-C-K-E-D. 43-37 Raptors.

4:13 - Not a good sign, James "I have the best three-point shooting percentage in the NBA" Jones just clanks a pair of threes for the Red & Black. Meanwhile, Brandon "My nickname isn't as long as James Jones" Roy knocks down his long shot from beyond the three-point line. 45-42 Toronto.

1:07 - If it wasn't for Roy this game would be ugly. Sam Cassell ugly. He has 16 points already and he's the only Blazer player the Raptors don't seem to know how to defend. 56-49 Dinobots.

0:00 - Roy misses a contested shot at the buzzer, so the players head to the locker room with a halftime score of 56-51 Raptors.

Third Quarter:
9:40 - The Vanilla Gorilla fouls Chris Bosh above the rim, and the Raptors maintain their edge (and not in that hardcore punk way), 60-53.

8:44 - Martell Webster for three. BOOM! And again, BOOM BOOM! 60-59 Raptors, on 6 quick points by Martell.

6:45 - Webster. Three points. Boom. 68-66 Toronto.

5:12 - The Blazers are playing very well, but the Raptors are shooting lights out, and every time the home team rallies back and closes the gap, Toronto pulls ahead. 72-68 the other team.

4:34 - Oh shit! Roy pulls a Jordan and switches hands midair to avoid a Chris Bosh swat. If Sportscenter doesn't show that play tonight, I'm kicking in some skulls. 72-70 Raptors.

1:30 - BOOOOOMMMM! Martell with an amazing reversal dunk. 76-74 Raptors.

0:00 - Three quarters down and despite how well the Blazers are playing, the Raptors are just doing it better. 83-76 with 12 minutes to go. Will the Blazers make it to nine in a row? Or will their reign as hottest team in the NBA end here?

Fourth Quarter:
9:27 - Here's an idea, get fouled. The Blazers have only shot seven free-throws, and it's one of the reasons why they can't climb back into this game. 85-80 Raptors.

7:43 - 2007 Travis Outlaw was secretly replaced with 2006 Travis Outlaw before the game. The result? One for eight shooting and a horrible missed dunk. 87-82 Raptors.

6:08 - Bosh (luckily) fouls Outlaw and here is a chance for the Blazers to tie the game. Makes the first. Makes the second. This game is tied! 87-87.

5:14 - It's getting' good now. Toronto is now in the penalty, so every foul they commit from here on out will send the Blazers to the line. Plus the momentum is swinging back to the home team. The crowd is loud and Brandon Roy is on fire. 90-87 Blazers.

3:37 - Brrrrrrr, it's cold up there in Toronto. Cold like a frosty can of Molson Light. The Raptors can't buy a bucket (even with Loonies) and the Blazers are holding onto their 92-89 lead.

2:27 - Outlaw fouled, eh. Oh man, an "eh" joke, how low I have sunk? What's next? John Candy joke? Lady Bing Trophy crack? Um, anyway, 95-89 Blazers, their biggest lead of the game.

0:48 - Jose Calderon turns it over, Blazers can finish it here. 97-94 Blazers.

0:11 - James Jones is fouled and knocks down a pair of free-throws. Ladies and gents, it appears that the Blazers are about to win their ninth consecutive game, unless God steps in and allows a miracle for Toronto. 99-94 Blazers.

0:08 - Looks like God hates Canadians. No surprise there. James Jones gets the Chalupa basket, and one more. 101-96 Blazers.

0:00 - That is another win. That is nine in a row. That is second place. Final score: 101-96 Blazers.

Holy shit.