There is a game today against the Utah Jazz at 6:00 PM. It is what they call an early game alert. I am alert, but mostly because my neighbor was using a leaf blower at an hour that felt illegal, even if it was technically noon.
The Jazz are a team that exists in Salt Lake City, which is a place known for salt and lakes. Sometimes the Raptors play them and it feels like a fever dream from 2004. I expect a basketball game to occur, and I expect several people to be wearing headbands.
The Price of Admission
A parent recently asked about getting the best bang for their buck regarding tickets. They promised their son Raptors tickets and then looked at the prices. This is a common mistake, similar to promising a child a pony or a stable government.
If you want value, you should look for teams with no big stars. The Jazz might actually be that team today. You can sit in the upper bowls and explain to your family that the players look small because they are actually made of light and sound.
Digital Realities and Defenses
People are talking about the NBA 2K video game again. Someone posted a screenshot that looks barely human. It is strange how we spend millions to make digital athletes look like they are melting in real time. My uncle says the graphics peaked in 1995 with NBA Jam, and frankly, he might be right.
On the real court, folks are looking for Scottie Barnes defensive highlights for his Defensive Player of the Year campaign. Scottie has long arms. He uses them to poke the ball away from people who would rather keep the ball. It is a simple concept that seems very difficult to execute when a 250 pound man is running at you.
Local Ties and Commercial Breaks
There was a nice moment recently with Jon Kabongo performing his track on a Sportsnet commercial. He was a teammate of RJ Barrett on the U16 Team Canada squad. It is a small world, especially in a country that is mostly trees and very expensive housing.
RJ Barrett is a Raptor now. He played with Jon, and now Jon is on the television while RJ is on the court. It is a circular ecosystem of basketball and rhythmic poetry. We all have our paths. Some lead to the NBA, and some lead to writing about the NBA while eating a cold patty from the subway station.
Observations from the Baseline
- The Jazz are here.
- The tickets are expensive.
- Scottie Barnes is still very tall.
- The video game version of our team looks like a wax museum in a heatwave.