Immanuel Quickley scored 40 points against the Golden State Warriors last night. He did this while only missing two shots from the field (which seems like it should be against the rules). He also had 10 assists, because apparently scoring almost half a hundred points was not enough to occupy his time.
The Raptors won the game 145 to 127. That is a lot of running back and forth for a Tuesday in January. My uncle used to say that if you score 145 points, the other team should probably just stay in the locker room for the next game (out of respect, or perhaps just to nap).
Efficiency and Other Mysteries
Quickley went 11 for 13 from the floor. He made 7 of his 8 three-pointers (one of them must have felt lonely being the only miss). People are saying this might be one of the most efficient 40 point games ever recorded. It is strange to think about being that good at something for two hours and then just having to drive home and check your mail like a normal person.
His full name is Immanuel Jaylen Quickley. It is a good name for a basketball player. It is better than something like Primoz Brezec (who was very tall but did not often score 40 points in a game). Quickley also had exactly two rebounds. This is a very modest amount of rebounding for someone who was doing everything else (but we choose to focus on the 40 points).
Observations from the Sofa
Winning games in January feels like finding a twenty dollar bill in a winter coat you forgot you owned. You are happy about it, but you also wonder where it has been this whole time. The Warriors are a good team, or at least they were when they occupied more of our collective thoughts.
The Raptors seem to be figuring things out (maybe). It is hard to tell because the season is long and sometimes the ball just goes in the hole more than usual. We will likely be back to worrying about the luxury tax or a backup center from 2007 by tomorrow. For now, Quickley tied his career high and everyone is mostly okay with that.