At their mutual cores, the city of Toronto and its hometown basketball team, the Raptors, are more than just geographically linked. There's a spiritual connection here, a shared identity taken on by both the franchise's players and the fans who watch them play. As the NBA's All-Star weekend kicks off today, it was impossible to ignore the feeling that this inextricable bond between Toronto and the Raptors is what makes everything happening right now feel so special. It wasn't always this way.
"Toronto was kind of one of those teams that you go 'Oh they're good, but they're Toronto," said two-time NBA All-Star starter Kyle Lowry.