The Toronto Raptors got so close to the championship on Monday, only for the Golden State Warriors to stave off elimination in a whirlwind final three minutes. A loss like that would rock most teams. Game 6 of the NBA Finals -- the Warriors' last game at Oakland's Oracle Arena -- on Thursday will test Toronto's resolve.
Toronto kept an even temperament through an unusual regular season and sometimes dramatic playoffs. That should serve it well now.
As the Raptors -- up 3-2 in the series -- prepare to chase the title in a hostile environment, the specter of a possible Game 7 looming, they can look back at the steadiness with which they handled what most within the team consider the closest thing to a pivotal moment in this postseason run.