One-and-a-half players away.
That's how one NBA insider with a thorough understanding of the Toronto Raptors put it.
Not just one player away.
And that mystical half player is what has placed the Raptors in a truly devilish quandary as they straddle the blurry line between good team and who-knows-what-more-they-could-become.
It also makes for a fascinating study of what it's like to be considered a contender in an era when the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are such heavy favorites to meet in a third consecutive NBA Finals.