Raps host the Memphis Grizzlies tonight, who are one of the select few teams with a worse record than Toronto and have lost 8 of 10. Easy win for the Raps? I’d like to think so, but nothing is ever easy with this team, is it.

I’m actually looking forward to seeing Memphis play. They’re loaded with young, athletic guys, most of whom I’m not too familiar with, so it should be interesting to see them. Obviously, the most notable right now is rookie OJ Mayo, who’s lighting it up in his first season in the league - from the point guard spot, no less. He may not be a true PG, but he’s one of those versatile, athletic, score-from-anywhere guys the Raps often have trouble with so I hope we can keep him in check.

Rudy Gay has turned into a solid pro and I’m sure he’ll get everyone thinking about how foolish Colangelo was taking Andrea Bargnani ahead of him in the draft. But then again, there were questions about his work ethic and drive, and considering that Memphis has won a total of 55 games in the two-and-a-half seasons he’s played, well, maybe the jury’s still out on him.

Meanwhile, they’ve got the Other Gasol, Marc, replacing Pau in the middle. Marc’s having a solid rookie season as well, and he’s a big bruiser down there who can likely muscle Bargnani and Chris Bosh out of their spots. Still, he’s foul-prone so if CB and AB can use their quickness to put him on his heels, they’ll get him out of the game.

The Grizz play small - Gay starts at PF, Gasol at C - so as long as Chris, Andrea and Moon to hit the glass all night, the Raps should have a sizeable advantage there. Memphis starts Quentin Ross and Kyle Lowry at the wing spots; I don’t know too much about them, except they’re young and athletic. Parker and Moon should match up fairly well with them, the key will be just staying in front of them and forcing them to shoot from range - Memphis is the fourth lowest scoring team in the league at 94, and the fourth-worst three-point shooting team at 32.5%.

If you’re a Raptors fan and you remember the 2002-2003 season, those numbers may not surprise you - because the architect of the worst scoring Raptors team ever, Kevin O’Niell, is an assistant with the Grizzlies. Apparently KO is still allergic to scoring, although it’s funny when you consider all the young talent and the supposedly offensive minded head coach, Marc Iavaroni.

Big question mark for the Raptors remains the point guard play. No word yet if Jose Calderon will play, although to be honest I think he should probably take the night off and come back strong for the Boston games.

That leaves our friend Will Solomon to handle Mayo. Yikes. Much as I loathe him, I have to admit that he’s much more suited to guarding OJ Mayo than Roko is. Roko’s quick, but he’s just too thin at this point to body up a strong guard like Mayo. So I think (if Jose is out) it’ll be a heavy dose of Big Willie tonight. Oh, joy. Well, hopefully he’s starting to clue in that all they need him to do is bring up the ball and give it to Bosh, that he doesn’t have to score. Of course, that would be easier if he had any idea how to make an entry pass… sigh.

Ultimately I believe this one will come down to Bosh and Bargnani - which is the way it should be, no? As good as Marc Gasol has been as a rookie, and as good as Rudy Gay is, they can’t stop Bosh. And the only one who can stop Bargnani is himself, so as long as he shows up the way he’s done the past couple weeks, this should be a Raptors victory. I think the home team takes it by 8.