Remember the Toronto Raptors?

Coming into the 2016-17 season, it felt as if NBA prophesiers were making a collective effort to pick any team other than the Toronto Raptors to finish second in the Eastern Conference. The popular pick was the Boston Celtics — last year’s fifth place finisher — on the heels of adding Al Horford to an already potent mix. The trendy choices were the Indiana Pacers, another revamped squad from the summer, or the Detroit Pistons, who remained mostly quiet amid the frenzy but returned a promising young core. Those two teams finished seventh and eighth in the East last season, respectively.

Coincidentally, the Raptors hosted the Pistons on night two of the NBA’s opening week, as each team began their quest to unseat the Cleveland Cavaliers from their perched, presumably gold and diamond-encrusted throne. The result was never really in question for the Northerners, who staked themselves a 10-point lead on Detroit after the first quarter and went on to win by a final tally of 109-91. For the Raptors, one of the best teams in the NBA on their home floor, who took two of three from the Pistons last season, it was business as usual.

Yet the win still had the air of something close to a statement game for Toronto, and it’s not just because some records that were broken along the way. (Although those didn’t hurt.) DeMar DeRozan, Toronto’s newly inked All-Star guard and offensive leader, set an opening night franchise record with 40 points — two shy of his career-high — breaking the previous mark of 39 set by Vince Carter. Center Jonas Valanciunas set his personal career-best with 32 points, while the duo became the first teammates in NBA season opener history to score 40 and 30 points.

The victory felt noteworthy due to the faint notoriety that’s been prescribed to the Raptors during the past four months or so. Granted, there was a lot that happened over the summer to change the conversation. A dizzying array of signings and trades was only topped by three of the most transcendent superstars in basketball history walking away from the game. It was enough to make the pre-Finals playoffs feel like a vague memory … but the North remembers.

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The Raptors didn’t just finish a franchise-best 56-26 (and one game behind the leading Cavs) last season, they also made it to their first Eastern Conference Finals, pushing the reigning champs to six games. They were one of the four best teams in the league last season, but for some reason got thrown back into the shuffle of East semi-contenders that tend to vary year-to-year. The loss of center Bismack Biyombo was damning, but the re-signing of DeRozan kept the main core intact. For the immediate future, Toronto’s outlook remained bright as it ever was.

The things that make the Raps great were (almost) on full display Wednesday night, and it all starts with DeRozan. While NBA progressives are still waiting, or wanting, him to develop a steady 3-point shot, DeRozan continues to do yeoman’s work in all areas inside the arc. Against the Pistons, the eighth-year veteran put on a clinic of post-up, turnaround and fadeaway jumpers, as well as crossover dribble drives and contorting finishes to the basket.

He hit the 40 mark on a career-high 17 field goals in just three quarters, and not one of those makes were from deep. While we all relish the 3-ball, DeRozan possesses that Wade-like knack of scoring so diversely (and effortlessly) from within 20-feet that forcing the issue with more 3s at this point in his career feels like gross negligence.

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The force that was Valanciunas on opening night (10-15 from the field, 12-14 from the line) is something we have seen glimpses of in the past. The performance, however, can also be a glimpse of a legit breakout season for the fifth-year vet and former fifth pick overall. Jonas logged over 35 minutes against the Pistons, which the Raptors desperately need a steady trend for a player that has struggled to stay on the court during his brief career, whether it be due to a lack of defensive effort or too much (leading to quick fouls).

The third piece of the Raptors’ puzzle, point guard Kyle Lowry, had an off-night (3-13 shooting) compared to the lofty standards he set during last season’s career year. The Big-3 will all click sooner than later, though, and the rest of the East is officially on notice. For anyone who thought the Raptors peaked last season, there is a new mountaintop on the horizon.