The Raptors lost to the Lakers, 110 to 93, on a Sunday that felt like a long grocery store receipt. It was one of those games where you look at the score and realize you could have spent that time reorganizing your junk drawer or staring at a wall.
Anthony Davis exists (as a concept and a physical person) and the Raptors mostly just watched him happen. It is difficult to stop a man who is that tall and also good at basketball. We play the Warriors tomorrow, which is another opportunity to participate in a regulated sporting event.
The Center of the Room
Jakob Poeltl is still dealing with a back issue, which is relatable because most people I know have backs that have betrayed them. He was seen working out before the game, but the reports say it was not at a game pace.
It was more of a casual pace, perhaps the speed of someone looking for their car keys in a dark parking lot. Without him, the paint feels very empty, like a house where all the furniture was moved out while you were at work.
On Logistics and Pump Fakes
People are arguing about player minutes again, specifically how certain players do not actually share the court as much as we think they do. It is important to remember that rotations are like a complex recipe where the chef keeps forgetting why he walked into the kitchen.
We should also take a moment to appreciate Sandro Mamukelashvili and his pump fake. He moves in a way that suggests he is constantly surprised by his own limbs, yet the fake remains effective. It is a nice piece of craftsmanship, like a sturdy birdhouse.
Around the Wider World
- Anthony Black and Jaylon Tyson are having breakouts elsewhere in the league.
- Reed Sheppard has questions about his defense, which is a common human condition.
- The Memphis Grizzlies are looking at their future direction, which involves a lot of map reading, metaphorically speaking.