There is a certain type of silence that only exists when a seven foot Austrian man has been missing for a month. Jakob Poeltl used to be there, standing in the middle of the paint like a very tall tree that also knows how to set a screen. Now he is gone, and the fans are asking questions about timelines.
People seem to think this team could be top three in the Eastern Conference if everyone was healthy. That is a very optimistic way to look at life, and I respect it, even if it feels like believing the bus will actually arrive on time during a snowstorm. Without Poeltl, we are just a collection of very talented people trying to remember what a box out looks like.
The Immanuel Quickley Experience
While Jakob is away, Immanuel Quickley decided to become the most efficient shooter in the history of the league for one specific evening. He scored over 40 points against the Warriors and looked like he had found a secret cheat code for basketball. His three point percentage was actually higher than his overall field goal percentage, which is a mathematical riddle that makes my head hurt.
I have heard theories that Darko Rajakovic is using new defensive strategies, or perhaps something just clicked in Immanuel's brain. Sometimes you just have a night where the hoop looks as wide as Lake Ontario, and every shot you take feels like it was meant to be. My uncle had a night like that at a bowling alley in 1994, though he mostly attributes it to the rented shoes.
Searching for Gifts
Someone asked how to find the giveaway nights at the arena. They are looking for a schedule of when the team hands out free shirts or bobbleheads. It is funny how we will pay a hundred dollars for a ticket but feel like we won the lottery if we get a polyester shirt worth four dollars.
Usually, these are listed on the website under promotions, though finding them can be as difficult as finding a backup center who can defend the rim. Specialty nights and giveaway nights are often the same thing, unless the specialty is just losing a lead in the fourth quarter. That particular specialty does not come with a free t-shirt, unfortunately.
Small Observations
- Watching the Raptors is a bit like watching a movie where the ending changes every time.
- We miss Jakob Poeltl because he provides balance, much like the way a heavy paperweight keeps your bills from flying away when the window is open.
- If we keep shooting three pointers better than two pointers, we might eventually stop taking layups entirely.
- I remember Rasho Nesterovic used to take mid range jumpers that felt very honest. There was no deception there.