Did you watch the last Raptors game against the Mavericks? Of course you did, you’re here reading this. So why am I bothering to ask? Because that was how you win a basketball game. The Toronto Raptors, for what felt like the entire 48-minutes of gameplay, had full control over their destiny against a purported top team in the league. There was no blowout and the level of competition wasn’t skewed to one side or the other, and that is what made the victory all the more impressive. Toronto held their own and showed that they have what it takes to actually win the games that they hold their own in, unlike last year, where they were just scrappy enough to hang close until the wheels fell off.