TORONTO - It hasnt taken Ricky Ray long to make a positive impact on the Toronto Argonauts. . Toronto made huge headlines in December when it acquired the veteran quarterback in a blockbuster deal with the Edmonton Eskimos for journeyman Steven Jyles, kicker Grant Shaw and a 2012 first-round draft pick. After early struggles, Ray has shown the poise and polish of a nine-year veteran and helped transform the Argos into East Division contenders under rookie head coach Scott Milanovich. Through five weeks, Toronto (3-2) is not only tied with Hamilton atop the East Division but in a five-way tie for the leagues best record. Heady stuff for an Argos squad that finished last in the conference last year and missed the CFL playoffs for the third time in four years. Ray has settled nicely into Milanovichs offence, having completed 69 per cent of his passes and standing second overall in CFL passing with 1,542 yards — just 91 yards behind Montreals Anthony Calvillo. The two-time Grey Cup champion has twice as many touchdown passes (eight) to interceptions (four). Jyles transition in Edmonton hasnt been nearly as dramatic. He has completed 56.3 per cent of his passes for 993 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions although the Eskimos are among the clubs with a 3-2 mark. But Edmonton is heavily riding a stout defence thats allowing a league-low 15.8 points per game and has a CFL-high 14 sacks. The Eskimos offence is ranked last in total yards (308.8 per game) and passing (239.6 yards) and second-last in scoring (22.2 points per game) and time of possession (18 minutes, 46 seconds). Rays presence has forced opposing defensive co-ordinators to gameplan pressure schemes aimed at hurrying him and making him feel uncomfortable. Despite having thrown 181 passes, Ray has only been sacked eight times. With Ray in tow, Toronto leads the CFL in time of possession (over 31 minutes per game) and is second in total offence and passing yards. With the Argos being able to sustain drives and limit turnovers, that has taken a lot of pressure off the defence and special teams to come up with big plays. Yet both have thrived this year as Torontos defence — under new co-ordinator Chris Jones — is allowing the second-fewest yards and special-teams dynamo Chad Owens has amassed a league-leading 1,291 all-purpose yards. Owens has also flourished offensively with Ray, having registered 28 catches for 392 yards and three touchdowns, the latter two both team highs. And the three TD catches are significant considering Owens didnt have a touchdown reception at all last year. If there has been a knock against Ray and Co., it has been an inability to cap more drives with touchdowns. Toronto is ranked sixth in TDs scored (11) but has booted a league-high 16 field goals. Ray and the Argos will face a stiff test Monday when they host the Grey Cup-champion B.C. Lions. Montreal visits Winnipeg on Friday night in the only other league game. Some other musings heading into this weeks action: - Torontos 23-20 road win over Montreal on Friday was the second-most watched sports event in Canada behind coverage of the London Summer Games opening ceremony. The Toronto-Montreal contest drew 874,000 viewers on TSN and RDS. A whopping 6.4 million viewers through the Consortium Network took in the spectacle that was the Olympics opening ceremony but the football game was the most-watched CFL contest so far this season. - The CFL might be a passing league but theres little difference between the leagues top rusher and receiver. Torontos Cory Boyd has run for a league-best 424 yards on 74 carries while Calgarys Nik Lewis is tops among receivers with 38 catches for 444 yards. Saskatchewans Kory Sheets has scored a league-high six rushing TDs while Lewis leads receivers with six touchdown grabs. - Parity is indeed live and well in the CFL with five teams tied for the best overall record at 3-2. Half of the 20 games played to date have been decided by four or fewer points with the winning margin in nine being by three or fewer points. West Division clubs do sport a 6-4 mark in head-to-head contests with their Eastern brethren. - Seven kick-return touchdowns have been scored so far, one less than all of last season. Four have come on punt returns with the other three being missed field goals taken back for TDs. Hamiltons Chris Williams has three return touchdowns — two on punts, the other on a missed field goal. - Hamilton rookie punter Josh Bartel is adjusting well to Canadian football. The native Australian and former Australian Rules Football star has a respectable 43.3-yard average. And hes earned it, having punted a league-high 39 times. THIS N THAT: B.C. has yet to lose a fumble this season . . . Calgary tailback Jon Cornish is averaging just 3.8 yards per carry this season. He posted a 7.3-yard average in 2011. 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They still won a poorly played game by both teams for Shaw, the longtime Lakers guard and assistant coach. Xavier Henry had 15 points in his second high-scoring game for the Lakers. Gasol and Nash sat out the Lakers exhibition opener in Ontario on Saturday night when Los Angeles snapped a 10-game exhibition winless streak over the last three years. The Lakers rested Jordan Farmar and Chris Kaman against Denver in their plan to keep their veterans fresh during the preseason. Marcus Landry scored 13 points for the Lakers, who must play four preseason games in six days before a weeklong trip to China for two more exhibitions against Golden State. Kobe Bryant is highly unlikely to play for the Lakers in the preseason while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, and Shaw -- a Bryant confidante -- said he thinks Kobe will miss the season opener Oct. Jerseys NFL China. 29 against the Clippers. Shaw won three NBA titles as a Lakers guard, and he earned two more rings while spending seven seasons as an assistant. He was a popular candidate among fans to replace Phil Jackson two seasons ago, but the Buss family chose Mike Brown -- and when Brown was fired early last season, the Busses bypassed Shaw again to hire Mike DAntoni. Instead, the Nuggets hired Shaw in June to replace George Karl, who was fired despite winning a franchise-record 57 games and his first NBA Coach of the Year award after Denvers first-round exit from the playoffs. Wesley Johnson left the game in the first half with a strained left foot and didnt return for the Lakers. The fourth-year pro, who will have an MRI on Monday, is trying to earn a spot after three disappointing NBA seasons in Minnesota and Phoenix. The Lakers went through a 1-for-15 shooting stretch in the first half and finished 15 for 51, but Denver committed 16 turnovers while taking a 46-44 halftime lead. Evan Fournier scored nine points before halftime for the Nuggets. ' ' '