Immanuel Quickley scored 40 points against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. He also had 10 assists and made seven of his eight three point attempts. It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder if the rim is actually larger for some people, or if the basketball is just very small that day.
He is now the second player in the history of the league to put up 40 points and 10 assists while shooting 80 percent from the field. The only other person to do that was Wilt Chamberlain, who did it three times. Wilt also famously claimed to have never fainted, which feels relevant but probably isn't.
A Game of Large Numbers
Quickley recorded a Game Score of 40.3, which is the eighth highest in the history of this franchise. That puts him in the company of people like Vince Carter and Kawhi Leonard. It is a strange list to be on, like being the eighth most famous person from a very specific suburb.
The Raptors won that game 145 to 127, which is a lot of points. It feels like someone left the oven on for too long and the score just kept rising. Now the team is 25 and 19, which is a respectable way to spend a winter in Ontario.
The Center of the Room
Jakob Poeltl was last seen working out on Sunday at what people are calling half speed. Half speed is a generous way to describe how I move to the fridge during halftime. There are no meaningful updates on when he might return to the lineup.
Without him, the middle of the floor feels a bit empty, like a living room where someone took the coffee table but left the rug. We are heading into a game against the Sacramento Kings tonight at 10pm. This is a back to back situation, or a SEGABABA, which sounds like a word my uncle would shout when he drops a wrench.
Looking Westward
Playing in Sacramento at 10pm is a difficult thing for people who enjoy sleeping. The Kings are a basketball team that exists in California, a place where it is rarely snowing. I am not sure if that helps them play better, but it probably helps their general outlook on life.
We will see if Quickley can do the Wilt Chamberlain thing again. History suggests he probably won't, because history is usually quite repetitive and boring. But then again, maybe the rim will be large again, and we can all feel okay for a few hours.