He's the only Toronto starter who failed to score in double figures. He's the only Toronto starter who made an on-the-court contribution that was, well, tame. Yet if there's one guy who stands out as MVP of the Raptors' win over the Knicks on Wednesday night, it's Charles Oakley.

What Oak did was challenge Vince Carter to be accountable for the team's success, and to be great. And he did it harshly, challenging Vince to "be a man," the ultimate calling-out. And while Carter told me last night that he doesn't read the papers and didn't know about the Oak's statement until someone mentioned it to him, VC responded with his best playoff performance: 32 points, seven rebounds and four assists. "When I woke up, I was ready to play right then," Carter said. "I just wanted to lay it all on the line."

And here's how VC did it: he attacked the hoop, and he wound up shooting 14 free throws. Carter was dominant from his first basket: a windmill jam, after blowing by Latrell Sprewell in the opening seconds of the game. And he played at a high energy level throughout, an energy level that was infectious to his teammates and the crowd. Said Antonio Davis: "That's exactly what we need from Vince."

And the Raptors need more honesty from players like Oakley, who's not alone on the team in his feelings on Carter. Until now, Toronto players who dared speak out did so off the record, or in indirect read-between-the-lines remarks. At least Oakley realizes this is no time for pampering.

For his actions, the Toronto media blasted Oakley, labeling his remarks divisive. It's probably a safe bet that Carter's got some animosity for his teammate. But should the Raptors advance to the next round the face the Sixers, Carter should go out of his way to seek Oak out and say "thanks."

Last night, Oakley was told that Vince's mom wasn't happy about his words. That she went on national TV and backed her son, basically saying Oak's comments weren't appropriate. Oakley's response:

"If she's got some question with me, I'm not hard to find. She's knows my number. His mom, hey, if she wants to be a coach, Lenny's contract is going to be up in two or three years."

We saw how Vince responded to a personal attack. How will he respond to comments about his momma? Stay tuned.

Jerry Bembry is covering the NBA Playoffs for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at jerry.bembry@espnmag.com.