As I wrote in my updated NBA playoff projections on Wednesday, the Raptors are eminently competent and a true joy to watch. On closer inspection, they are even more than competent. They are freaking good. This is the best Raptors team ever, better than the 56-win version from 2015-16 and last season's similar edition. At 21-8 after a a blowout win over the Hornets, Toronto is on pace for 59 or 60 wins, which would be an incredible feat.

The Raptors boast the No. 4 offense (in the same realm as the Warriors, Rockets, and Cavaliers, each of which one or more no-doubt score-first Hall of Famers) and the No. 6 defense. Toronto's scoring margin is No. 3 behind only Golden State and Houston, and nearly twice as big as No. 4 Boston. There is a case that Toronto is the best team in the Eastern Conference despite being 2.5 games back in the standings.

So much attention is rightly paid to Danny Ainge's genius building of the Celtics into a powerhouse without a superstar at the start. Look at what Masai Ujiri has done in Toronto: the same darn thing without bottoming out even a bit. Ujiri inherited a 34-win team going nowhere fast in 2013 and turned into a consistent playoff team and now, since 2015-16, a real contender. He's built maybe the best bench in basketball, one that's backing up one of the best performing starting fives in the game.

Credit too should go to Dwane Casey, who has embraced a style that is not his own. Toronto is seventh in three-point rate, finding ways to get deep shots despite its best player and scorer, DeMar DeRozan, being averse to the long range. Casey has been on the hot seat a couple of times; Ujiri always stuck by him, and it's paying off.

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Scores Galore ...

TOR 129, CHA 111

IND 105, ATL 95

MIA 90, BOS 89

SAC 104, BKN 99

ORL 94, CHI 112

LAL 122, HOU 116

UTA 79, OKC 107

DET 93, DAL 110

MIN 112, DEN 104

SAS 93, POR 91

MEM 84, GSW 97

PHX 95, LAC 108

... And So Much More

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