There’s a justifiable shine around Raptors games of late, and it’s not just the blinding reflection from the duelling championship belts Drake toted into Scotiabank Arena for Tuesday’s long-awaited matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.
More than two-thirds through the NBA season, Toronto’s fan base seems long over any Kawhi Leonard-related heartbreak, in part because it’s become accustomed to seeing the Raptors winning most nights. And because, as the season’s gone on, the Raptors’ defence of their first championship has looked less like a token stab at glory by a bunch of plucky, outclassed underdogs and more like a not-so-outrageous possibility for a real contender.