The Toronto Raptors got schooled on the courts – and on geography – in Oregon on Tuesday.
The team's 'We The North'campaign, words that fans hold up on placards at games and hashtag on social media, was mocked online by the Portland Trail Blazers, who beat Toronto in overtime 102-97 Tuesday night.
The team tweeted out a map and pointed out that Portland, at 45 degrees latitude, is actually slightly north of Toronto, which is at 44 degrees. The Trail Blazers hashtagged it #WeTheNorthToo.
Hey @Raptors fans, let's be friends. Technically #WeTheNorthToo. pic.twitter.com/7SiUhpT2y9
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 31, 2014
The team later modified their claim to #WeTheNorthwest.
Highlights: Portland 102, Toronto 97 (OT) #RipCity #WeTheNorthwest #PORvsTOR WATCH » http://t.co/iFx7KpIEl7 pic.twitter.com/0O5yBB78e7
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 31, 2014
So far, there has been no response on Twitter from Drake, the Raptors’ global ambassador, who gets thousands of retweets whenever he uses the hashtag:
Look forward to seeing the fans at Jurassic Park tomorrow. Our time this year! #WeTheNorth #ovo #goraptors
— Drizzy (@Drake) October 29, 2014
The Minnesota Timberwolves, however, did respond, with, “oh, so you’re just going to forget about us…”
@trailblazers @Raptors oh, so you're just going to forget about us...
— MN Timberwolves (@MNTimberwolves) December 31, 2014
The Timberwolves are located in Minneapolis, Minn., which is at 45 degrees latitude, slightly north of Toronto and on par with Portland.
The Timberwolves may have a point.
They might even argue that their star player, Andrew Wiggins, was born in suburban Toronto and is therefore more "of the north" than certain other star players on the court for Toronto.
The Raptors' Kyle Lowry hails from Philadelphia (at 40 degrees) and star forward Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge was raised in Dallas, Texas, down at 32 degrees.