There were smiles all around Rogers Arena on Saturday night, including a few from Kawhi Leonard.

Like any city that’s witnessed the fleeing of a professional sports franchise, it’s always been tricky to assess whether Vancouver will (or even should) be granted a second shot at an NBA team.

But if tonight’s exhibition game featuring the Toronto Raptors against the Portland Trail Blazers is any indication, there’s certainly an appetite for the NBA in Vancouver.

Yes, it’s just one preseason game and who knows if Vancouver really has the economic infrastructure in place to support a second team in one of North America’s major sports leagues.

Tonight wasn’t the time to ask that question though. Tonight was about an absolutely insane secondary market for tickets (single tickets couldn’t be had for less than $100). And packed upper and lower bowls. And Kyle Lowry driving the lane.

Tonight was about basketball, and a city that keeps falling more in love with it.

And it was also about Kawhi.

After the Raptors traded star DeMar DeRozan (a player that loved Toronto and the team) for former San Antonio Spur Leonard, much was made about whether the new Raptor even wanted to be there. The rumour mill still has him joining LeBron James on the L.A. Lakers in a year when his contract ends.

But as training camp has gone on, it’s become clear that Leonard and teammate Lowry have developed a rapport. The usually serious Leonard even cracked a smile a few times, most notably when he and Lowry put together a nice passing play.

For the record, the Vancouver crowd gave Leonard a warm welcome, cheering him every time he touched the ball and going berserk when he made his first basket, a mid-range jumper off a fake. Leonard registered 12 points and three assists in 19 minutes of action.

The Raptors ended up topping the Trail Blazers 122-104 and, other than Leonard and Lowry, veteran centre Jonas Valanciunas was the standout with 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals in 19 minutes of floor time.

It was the type of night that left you wanting more. Maybe Vancouver basketball fans will get it some day.

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