It is February in Toronto, which means the sun is a myth and everyone is congregating in Indianapolis for All Star weekend. Scottie Barnes spent some of his time standing next to Druski, the internet comedian, for a shooting stars event. It was a choice that happened, much like when the city decided to put a giant rubber duck in the lake a few years back.
We are all looking for signs of an offensive leap from Scottie, but mostly we are just watching him participate in festivities. People on the internet are worried about his scoring stagnation, which is a very specific thing to worry about while eating a sandwich on a Sunday. He plays defense like he is trying to hug the entire court, but his jump shot remains a mystery, similar to why they still make us pay for plastic bags at the grocery store.
The Ghost of Championships Past
Kawhi Leonard recently said that the talent was not there during the 2019 run, but the work ethic was. This is a confusing thing to hear about a team that featured Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol. Perhaps Kawhi remembers that year differently, or maybe he just forgot that Serge Ibaka was once a defensive force who also made a very interesting web series about eating animal parts.
It is a bit like your ex telling you that you were not actually good at your job, but you showed up on time. It feels like a compliment that went through a wood chipper. We won a ring regardless, so the talent was presumably located somewhere in the building, possibly hidden in the rafters with the dust and the retired jerseys of people my uncle still talks about.
Embracing the Current Situation
Darko Rajakovic says the process is simple: we must embrace the moment we are in. This is a very Zen approach to having a record that makes people look at the floor when they talk to you. Darko is a nice man who wants us to enjoy the journey, even if the journey currently feels like waiting for the 504 streetcar in the middle of a snowstorm.
- The All Star game happened on February 15th.
- Everyone is rested, or at least they have been in Indiana.
- The second half of the season is approaching like a bill you forgot to pay.