The Raptors are in Phoenix, where it is currently 38 degrees Celsius. That is a very high number for March, or really any month that involves wearing a sweater. I once spent a weekend in Phoenix and the air felt like it was personally offended by my presence.
It is hard to focus on a screen when the weather is that aggressive. We are collectively staring at the box score of a game against the Suns, trying to figure out if Jamison Battle is the future or just a person who happens to be standing in the right spot. People are asking if he is better than Gradey Dick, which is a complicated question involving geometry and confidence.
The Fourth Quarter Problem
The Raptors have developed a habit of playing the fourth quarter like they are trying to solve a puzzle with mittens on. They were up by double digits against the Nuggets recently, and then the lead just evaporated, kind of like water on a Phoenix sidewalk. It is a specific type of collapse that makes you want to go for a long walk in a light drizzle.
We saw them doubling players who did not need doubling, while Tim Hardaway Jr. stood at the three point line entirely alone. It was like watching a group of people try to catch a pigeon in a mall. Everyone is running, but the pigeon is simply elsewhere, wondering why everyone is so agitated.
New Faces and Old Puzzles
Ja'Kobe Walter is being called a three point assassin now, which sounds like a very stressful job description. I hope he has a good benefits package and a comfortable chair for his downtime. If he can keep hitting shots, the fourth quarter might start making more sense, but sense is a rare commodity in this league.
Jamison Battle remains the primary topic of conversation for those who stay up too late. He looks good on offense, and he seems to understand where his feet should be on defense. Whether he has passed anyone on the depth chart is a matter for the coaches, who generally look like they need a nap.
Final Observations
I remember a backup center from 2007 who used to set screens like he was trying to become a permanent part of the floor. That kind of certainty is missing lately. We are just watching a lot of talented people run around in the desert heat, hoping the ball goes through the hoop more often than it doesnt.
My uncle says the problem is that players dont wear enough socks anymore, but he also thinks the moon is a projection. We will keep watching because that is what we do. We watch the lead grow, we watch the lead shrink, and we wait for the temperature to drop.