The Raptors just lost to the Nuggets, 121 to 115, in Denver. It is a long flight back from Colorado, and I imagine the air on the plane is very dry. Mike Malone spent a good portion of the evening looking like a man who was told his grocery delivery was cancelled (which is to say, quite upset).
It was a close game, but close games are just losses that take longer to happen. We are currently observing a team that exists in a state of permanent almost. This reminds me of when my uncle tried to start a landscaping business but only owned a pair of kitchen shears. The intent was there, but the tools were... specialized.
The Problem With Logic
People are upset with Scottie Barnes because he is a very large human being who chooses to play like a small, creative human being. He is listed at 237 pounds, which is roughly the weight of a commercial refrigerator. Instead of running into people like a refrigerator, he prefers to pass like he is Pistol Pete Maravich.
It is confusing to watch a man who could easily walk through a wall choose to politely look for a door. Some fans want him to barrel through the lane. They want him to be a bulldozer, but Scottie wants to be a poet. Sometimes the poem does not rhyme, and we lose by six points.
Sounds and Sights
The broadcast booth is also a topic of conversation, specifically Alvin Williams. There is a segment of the population that misses Jack Armstrong or even Leo Rautins. Alvin is a nice man, but some find his analysis a bit underwhelming (their words, not mine).
Listening to a game can be difficult when the energy does not match the anxiety you feel in your own living room. It is like being at a funeral where the organist is playing top forty hits. You know the music is technically fine, but it does not quite fit the mood of the casket being lowered.
The whistle and the thin air
The officiating tonight was something to behold, or perhaps something to avoid looking at directly. We saw one of the worst refereed games in recent memory, which is a high bar to clear. Being a referee seems like a job where you are constantly being yelled at by men in expensive suits (like Mike Malone).
I am not sure what the solution is for this team. We have the size, and we have the players who can pass. We just do not always have the score that is higher than the other team. I suppose that is the goal of basketball, though sometimes I forget. I am going to go sit in a dark room and think about 2019.