The Toronto Raptors continue to exist in a space between winning and whatever the opposite of that is. We recently lost another game, which puts us at 4 and 17 against the good teams in this league.
Technically, three of those wins are from when the Cavaliers were still trying to figure out how basketball works. They have since changed their entire roster, so those victories feel like finding a twenty dollar bill in a jacket you threw in a dumpster.
We are currently holding onto the fifth seed by a single game. It is a precarious position, like trying to eat a patty on the Scarborough RT while it is moving. I am not sure if we are actually good or just less bad than the teams behind us.
Looking for Help in the Backcourt
Michael Grange mentioned on the pregame show that the front office is looking to fill the final roster spot. The deadline for playoff eligibility is March 15th, which is coming up fast.
The names being mentioned are Lonzo Ball, Georges Niang, and Cole Anthony. It is an interesting mix of people. Lonzo feels like a legend from a story my uncle told me once, while Niang is more of a stationary object that occasionally shoots a ball.
We apparently need scoring from the backcourt. Jamal Shead had himself a night, which was nice to see, but one person cannot do everything.
The Rotation Mysteries
People are asking why Jonathan Mogbo is getting minutes over Trayce Jackson-Davis. Trayce has the size, the screens, and the rebounding. He looks like a traditional basketball player you would find in a textbook from 1994.
Mogbo is more of a project, I suppose. Watching him play while we are down by 16 points is a specific kind of experience. It is like watching someone try to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions while the house is on fire.
Maybe there is an injury we do not know about yet. Or maybe the coaching staff just wants to see what happens. Sometimes doing nothing is better than doing something, but we usually choose to do the something that confuses people.
Looking Ahead with Mild Concern
The Orlando Magic just won on a buzzer beater, which means they are breathing down our necks. We are two games ahead of them. This feels like a lot of stress for a Tuesday in March.
We will likely sign someone soon to fill that spot. It might help, or it might just be another person to sit on the bench and think about things.
Basketball is a long season. Eventually, it ends, and then we do it again. My uncle always says the playoffs are where heroes are made, but he also says the moon is made of old cheese, so I take his advice with caution.