The New York Knicks came to town and left with a 111 to 95 victory. It was a basketball game in the same way that a DMV appointment is a social gathering. Things happened, people moved around, and eventually we were all allowed to leave.
The final score feels about right for a Tuesday in March. It is that time of year where the air in Toronto smells like wet pavement and disappointment. We are all just waiting for something, though nobody can quite remember what it is.
The Shrinking Bench
Darko Rajakovic decided to treat the rotation like a favorite sweater that accidentally went through the dryer. It just keeps getting smaller. He played nine players, but Battle only touched the floor for about five minutes.
That means we basically saw an eight man rotation. It is a bold strategy to play fewer people when the people you are playing look like they would rather be at a quiet library. The depth is not so much a "bench" as it is a collection of chairs that occasionally hold humans.
Search for the Fourth Quarter
We are currently investigating the whereabouts of the Raptors offense during the final twelve minutes of play. It seems to go on a very specific type of vacation right when the game gets important. Every fourth quarter feels like watching someone try to start a lawnmower that has been sitting in a shed since 2014.
The offense is leaning heavily on Brandon Ingram. When he or Scottie Barnes sit down, the scoring vanishes. It is like the ball becomes a heavy stone that no one wants to touch (unless they are throwing it out of bounds).
Observations from the Baseline
There was a Gradey Dick appearance, which is better than the alternative. He did not get a DNP tonight, so that is a small victory for fans of blonde hair and perimeter potential. We have to take our wins where we can find them, even if they are just "not being absent."
This team is currently a collection of known flaws. We know there is not enough shooting in the starting lineup. We know the bench is suspect. Watching them lose to the Knicks or the Celtics does not provide new data; it just confirms what we already discussed at the coffee shop three months ago.
It reminds me of a backup center from the mid-2000s whose name escapes me, but he always looked surprised when he caught a pass. That is us right now (surprised by the ball, surprised by the fourth quarter, surprised it is still only March). At least the weather might get better soon, maybe. Solar eclipses happen, and so do 16 point losses. We just have to keep spinning along.