Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo has acknowledged the perception that this season's edition of the team is the worst he's assembled.

"At some degree, it pains me to feel that this is the perception of this team, but at the same time it puts us in a position to prove people otherwise and it gives us something to play for," Colangelo told the Toronto Star.

"It gives a young, prideful, energetic and enthusiastic group something to shoot for. It's a fresh approach, much more so than a team that just expects to be good and goes out and doesn't play hard night in and night out. And it's more of a team that's ideally suited for Jay (head coach Triano) to continue to grow with as a coach.

"Already you can see a different approach from him, you can see a different approach and effect, positive effect, that that's had on the team and how this team plays together, how they like each other, how they're, again, more enthusiastic about the process. I think at the end of the day ? again, we were probably a team last year that I would argue was a 50-win team that missed the playoffs and underperformed ? this year we absolutely are a team that has lower expectations but will need to overperform to make the playoffs.

"Whether or not we make the playoffs is an unknown; again, there is no expectation. I would personally like to think that we are driving for that as a goal and I think that should be the goal each and every time we step on the floor."

Looking to clarify his comments regarding the importance of being on national television, Chris Bosh contacted the FAN 590 sports radio on Thursday night.

It had been reported that Bosh left Toronto for a place like Miami in order to increase his profile.

Bosh says he wasn't giving the reason he left Toronto when he made the comment, "I mean, really it's all about being on TV at the end of the day. Seriously, a guy can average (20 points and 10 rebounds) and nobody cares. If you don't see it, it doesn't really happen."

Referring to those comments, Bosh told the Fan's Doug Farraway:

"It wasn't in the context of why I made my decision. It was (about) the perceptions of players and how more popular players are considered better players (because they're on TV a lot). At no time did I refer to that as my quote, unquote bottom line or the reason I made the decision I made."

Chris Bosh was motivated to sign with the Heat for a multitude of reasons, one of which was exposure to a wide audience.

?Really, it's all about being on TV at the end of the day,? Bosh said. ?Seriously. A guy can average 20 (points) and 10 (rebounds), and nobody really cares. If you don't see it (on U.S. national TV), then it doesn't really happen.?

Toronto's NBA record of 932 consecutive games with a three-pointer was in peril on Wednesday until David Andersen hit one towards the end of the third quarter.

The Raptors went 3-for-10 from distance in the opening night loss.

Leandro Barbosa will be in the Toronto lineup against the Knicks on Wednesday night despite a right wrist injury.

Barbosa injured the wrist during a fall in Montreal on Friday and he said surgery is in his future.

He said his problems stem from a surgery he had last season to remove a cyst from his wrist.

"I had a surgery [last season] and I don't know if they didn't do it right or they didn't finish right so they want me to come back for the playoffs [but] there's no ligament at all," he said.

"The surgery I did was to remove a cyst. The cyst was attached to the ligament, so when they took out the cyst the ligament was already bad."

Ed Davis has missed training camp and the preseason after suffering a tear in his right knee on September 15th.

"It's been very hard," Davis said. "Very hard."

Davis won't be able to make his debut for another two weeks.

Davis has only been able to do shooting drills and lift weights while recovering.

"It's tough just lifting weights all the time," Davis said. "I mean, I'm a basketball player, not a weight lifter."

Hedo Turkolgu was predictably booed in his first return to Toronto on Sunday.

"People have to realize it's not always the players," said Turkoglu. "People just got to see what's really going on and make a judgment after that. I'm not a random guy. Chris (Bosh) was an all-star. Other guys, all-stars, too. You have to ask them what was the reason that they left. Then people will realize . . . instead of just going after the players. (Vince) Carter, Tracy (McGrady), whatever. I know (Bosh), I hope he doesn't get booed. He gave a lot of good stuff for this organization. I think he deserves to be welcomed in a nice way."

Turkoglu will return to Toronto again on February 25th, which will be a meaningful regular season game.

"I've got to come here one more time . . . and get booed again," he said. "When I came here, people think that I wasn't paying attention or I wasn't serious. But this is how I play. And if you look at it in the past, that?s how I do. I enjoy the game, and I go out there and I try to do my best. But here, I guess they misunderstand."

Joey Dorsey of the Toronto Raptors has been suspended without pay for one game for swinging his arm at the head of the Chicago Bulls? Brian Scalabrine, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 7.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Bulls? 109-90 victory over the Raptors at United Center on Tuesday, Oct. 12.

Erick Dampier left a meeting with the Suns on Friday without a contract, but he is still considering several offers.

In addition to Phoenix, Dampier is also considering Chicago, Houston and Toronto.

The Suns could offer Dampier a contract worth $2.08 million, their biannual exception.

"He's evaluating us and some other teams," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "At some point in the near future, I think he'll make a decision.

"When you look at a team like the Lakers, they run (Andrew) Bynum and Pau (Gasol) and Lamar (Odom), a bunch of 7-foot guys, and they added Theo Ratliff. I just think you can't ever have too much size on your team."

Toronto's coaching staff and players have helped make Julian Wright comfortable with his new team.

"I'm energetic, bounce around the floor, able to get points off rebounds, run the floor," Wright said in describing his game.

"I just want to be counted on in a lot of ways. (I'm) working on being more aggressive, taking it to the hoop."

Wright was acquired this past offseason in a trade with New Orleans for Marco Belinelli.