With three of his starters out with injuries, Toronto coach Sam Mitchell challenged his backups to step up, and they responded with a 98-79 romp over Charlotte. The misfiring Bobcats backcourt made just 12% of their 25 shots; the Raptors, on the other hand, were a sizzling 8 of 13 from beyond the arc.
Even Gerald Wallace, who led his team with 19 points, shot just 4-13 while being guarded by former Alabama high school rival Jamario Moon. Said Mitchell, "I thought the guys who needed to step up, stepped up." Toronto's next opponents are Phoenix, Boston, and Houston—a slate that should prove slightly more competitive. (More NBA stories.)