The Toronto Raptors are at the top of the Eastern Conference for a reason and they are continuing to prove why with every game.

They've been playing some of the best basketball in the NBA this season and are showing all the characteristics of potential champions.

One of those is to grind out wins when you're not playing well, which is what they did against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.

The Raptors needed overtime to finally see off the challenge of the lowly Western Conference outfit as they eventually dug out a 122-115 win in a hard-fought encounter.

The Mavs may be out of playoff contention but they're still playing hard and gave Toronto their best shot at Air Canada Centre.

"We make it hard on ourselves," head coach Dwane Casey said after the game, per ESPN. "Every team is coming in and giving their best shot. We're learning to be the hunted instead of the hunter."

The victory made it 11 straight for the Raps and sees them tie a franchise record for the longest winning streak.

Superstar DeMar DeRozan made the game-winning basket in overtime and led his team with 29 points but didn't have the best of shooting nights, going just 8-of-23 from the field.

"It's cool but I think we're all looking at it like we've got a bigger goal in mind," DeRozan said. "Every game is not going to be pretty but as long as we're figuring out how to win and doing it in the right way, that's all that matters to me."

Jonas Valanciunas added a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds for the 52-17 Raptors.

The men from 'The North' have won 18 of their last 19 games and are just five victories away from surpassing their franchise-best mark of 56 wins.

They're on the verge of securing their best-ever regular season finish but they know they'll be judged on what they do in the playoffs.

Toronto has been beaten by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the last two years but they're finally in their best position to overcome LeBron James and co.

That's why Casey is constantly looking for his team to get better and won't allow them to take things easy despite their success so far.

"I say it all the time. We don’t have Michael (Jordan), Larry (Bird), Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar). They’re not walking through that door. So we’ve got to play hard. We’ve got to compete every possession. We’ve got to be the hardest-working team on the floor every night," he said, per Sportsnet.

The Raps will now look to set the longest winning run in franchise history when they entertain the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

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