It is late March and the air in Toronto is that specific kind of damp that makes you question why humans decided to live here. My uncle says the humidity is good for the joints, but he also says the Raptors should play more zone defense, so I do not trust his medical or tactical advice. We are currently staring at a math problem involving three wins and a play in tournament.
The math says if the Raptors win three more games, we clinch a spot in the play in. It is a strange prize, like winning a coupon for a store that is already going out of business. You take it because it is better than nothing, but you are not exactly calling your parents to brag about it.
The Art of the Slipper
While the team chases the tenth seed, someone on the internet shared a photo of Raptors themed slippers their great grandmother knitted. They look warmer than the Scotiabank Arena during a preseason game in October. I wonder if she could knit a functioning ACL for our rotation players.
Knitting is a bit like a half court offense. You have a plan, you follow a pattern, and if you drop a stitch, it all falls apart in a way that is hard to explain to people who are just watching. We are dropping a lot of stitches lately, but at least someone has warm feet.
Mississauga Dreams and Denver Reality
Markelle Fultz is starting his comeback with the Raptors 905. He was a number one overall pick once, which is a lot of pressure for a person who just wants to play basketball. Now he is in Mississauga, which is its own kind of pressure involving traffic on the 403.
I hope he finds whatever it is he is looking for. Most people in Mississauga are just looking for a good place to get lunch. If he can give us some solid minutes, it might help offset the fact that Chris Boucher is listed as doubtful for the game in Denver.
Draft Dreams and High Altitudes
People are already complaining about AJ Dybantsa because he lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. They say he does not have "it," but I am not sure what "it" is anymore. If "it" is the ability to make a jumper in a gym in March, then a lot of people do not have it.
The Raptors are going to Denver soon, which is a difficult place to breathe even if you are not an athlete. Jakob Poeltl might sit out one of the back to back games because that is how basketball works now. We manage the load until there is no load left to manage, and then we go home.
We are three wins away from a chance to play one more game. It is not exactly the Larry O'Brien trophy, but it is something to do on a Tuesday night in April. My great grandmother probably would have liked the hustle, or she would have just told me to put on a sweater.