- It’s taken almost three weeks and a dozen games, but Andrea Bargnani finally displayed some of the aggressiveness he teased fans with during his first 13 games of the 2011-12 season. Il Mago's 12 trips to the free-throw line matched a season high, as he dropped 26 points on just 14 shots.

- On the opposite end of the efficiency spectrum, DeMar DeRozan returned to the starting lineup after a two-game absence and shot a putrid 6-of-20 from the field. His 5-of-11 shooting from the free-throw line was Shaquille-esque. Bradley Beal would look nice in a Raptors uniform, wouldn’t he?

- The always steady Jose Calderon put up a double-double while registering 10 of the team’s 25 assists. Former Nugget Gary Forbes also registered a double-double in just over 18 minutes of work.

- As a team, Toronto connected on an impressive 12-of-22 from beyond the arc. They also outrebounded a Denver team that features glass cleaners like Kenneth Faried and JaVale McGee.

- Win number 17 is in the books. And while it doesn't help the tanking cause, it's the type of homecourt victory that validates the system and culture that Dwane Casey is trying to implement here in the T Dot.