The Raptors are currently the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. We managed to climb the standings on a day where we did not even play a game of basketball. This is perhaps the best way to move up (because it involves zero stress and nobody had to miss a free throw).
It is a strange feeling to win by doing nothing. It reminds me of the time my cousin Kevin won a trophy for most improved attendance just because the actual winner moved to Oshawa mid semester. We are taking what we can get these days.
The Jakob Poeltl Factor
Jack Armstrong has been talking about the importance of a healthy Jakob Poeltl lately. When Poeltl is on the floor (the middle of the floor specifically) things just look more structured. He stands there and he is very tall and he catches the ball and sometimes he puts it in the hoop.
Without him, our defense is basically just five guys standing in a circle asking each other if they heard a noise. Jack also mentioned March Madness which is a tournament where college kids play basketball for three weeks. It is very loud and everyone seems to be sweating more than usual.
Math and Probabilities
People are already trying to calculate our chances in the playoffs (assuming we stay in the fifth seed or somewhere near it). Some say we have a twenty percent chance against the Cavaliers. We swept them in the regular season (but apparently that does not matter because they are different now).
The Pistons are also an option (which is a weird thing to say in 2026). They have the best record in the East because they win games. Mathematics in basketball is mostly just people guessing what might happen and then being upset when a ball bounces off a rim in a way they did not predict.
Language and Logic
I heard some people are watching the games on RDS in French. Apparently there is a commentator who yells (Oui Papa) when someone dunks. This is very confusing to me because my father never reacted that way when I did anything (let alone dunk a basketball on a lowered net in the driveway).
If you are looking for more traditional commentary (Matty D and Jack remain the standard). They do not call anyone (Papa) as far as I know. They just talk about the game and occasionally mention a nice restaurant they visited in Indianapolis.
The Raptors play the Bulls tonight at 8pm on TSN. The Bulls play in Chicago (where it is famously windy). Hopefully the wind does not get inside the arena and affect the flight of the ball. That would be another thing to worry about.