"Suddenly, shots were more open and plentiful, and the offence ran through a prolific scorer, making it easier for everyone on the court.

If there were ever any doubts about what Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani mean to the Raptors, surely they have been erased now.

The Raptors got back Calderon's stable leadership and Bargnani's ability to score in any manner of ways on Friday night, leading them to a 98-92 win over the New Jersey Nets at the Air Canada Centre, and ending a two-game losing streak.

The explanation behind the win is simple: Toronto's best players played well, and that made everything easy for everyone.

Calderon, who had missed four games with a sore left foot, had 15 points and 14 assists while Bargnani, whose wonky knees had kept him out of a loss to Chicago on Wednesday, had 32 points and nine rebounds in a dominant performance.

The fact Bargnani exploded in the second half – he had 24 of his points and five of his rebounds after the break – had to be the most pleasing aspect of his performance."