"When he was asked to play the point, Leandro Barbosa never made a point of complaining.

When people wondered aloud or privately about an errant jump shot, Barbosa never cited injury as a reason for his wayward heaves.

When the pain in his shooting wrist becomes intolerable, Barbosa seldom complains.

Life in Raptorland, at times, has been a blur for the ultra-quick guard, who struggled to find his stroke during the early season, filled in at point guard when Jarrett Jack was jettisoned to New Orleans, couldn't get minutes in a crowded wing spot and has all the while put off having surgery to repair a damaged wrist to his shooting (right) hand.

"For now, I'm happy because my body is okay,'' began Barbosa on Tuesday, knowing full well that he's not entirely okay.

When the Raptors needed a lift on Sunday afternoon against Sacramento, it was Barbosa's clutch shooting in the fourth quarter that sparked Toronto, a stretch that saw the veteran score 11 points.

Whatever gains the Raptors are able to make in the short-term future, a lot will depend on many factors.

At the top of the list is the team's ability to defend, but after a while it should dawn on even the most uneducated fan that this team will be life and death to stop opponents.

Equally obvious is Barbosa's presence and versatility, even as Sonny Weems is set to make his return to the rotation.

The way Barbosa has been playing of late, finding a nice comfort level with Jose Calderon by playing off the ball, there's no way the Raptors should decrease Barbosa's minutes.

What remains to be seen is just how long Barbosa's tenure in Toronto lasts.

What should be noted is just how good a legitimate scorer would look on a championship-contending team who can come off the bench, ignite a run and ultimately win a game, which is what Barbosa is capable of doing.

When next month's trade deadline comes around, GM Bryan Colangelo has some enticing chips in the form of a $12.2 million trade exception, the expiring contracts of Reggie Evans and Peja Stojakovic."