It is February 21st. We have a game against the Bucks tomorrow at 3:00 PM. It is a Sunday afternoon game (which usually means everyone is slightly or very sleepy) including the players and the people at the concessions.
If you are new here (welcome) you might be wondering why we do this to ourselves. One person mentioned they started watching Kobe Bryant highlights and then tried to learn the game through NBA 2K. That is a bold way to start (mostly because 2K is just a series of menus and people yelling over headsets) but the Kobe part makes sense. Basketball is beautiful until it is not.
The Playoff Math
We are currently the fifth seed (for now) which is a strange place to be. It is like being the middle child at a wedding: you are definitely invited (but nobody is quite sure what to do with you). People are asking if we should want the Celtics, the Cavs, or the Knicks in the first round.
The Celtics would likely sweep us (their roster is a collection of very tall and very talented people) and Tyrese Maxey would probably run circles around our defense until we all felt a bit dizzy. Before the recent trade (the one that changed things) I would have said the Cavs were the answer. Now I just hope everyone has fun (or at least avoids back spasms).
On Gifts and Draft Boards
Looking for a gift for a diehard Raptors fan is a delicate process. You could buy a jersey (but players have a habit of moving to Florida or California) so maybe look for something more permanent. My uncle once gave me a foam finger from 1995 and honestly (it still works as a finger) so maybe start there.
We are also looking at the 2026 Draft Big Boards even though the actual draft feels like it is several lifetimes away. It is funny how we spend so much time looking at teenagers who might save the franchise. I remember watching Rasho Nesterovic and thinking (this is the pinnacle) and in a way, it was.
Observations from the Couch
- Playing 2K is a good way to learn the rules (but a bad way to learn about physics).
- The Bucks game being at 3:00 PM feels like an affront to nap time.
- The Knicks are good now (which still feels like a glitch in the simulation).