Because it was Blue Monday this week, because it’s mid-January in general, and because this week in the NBA has been especially confrontational, I have decided to skip writing the penultimate article on Kyle Lowry’s 3-point percentage or mention anything about the upcoming trade deadline (frankly, how dare you for thinking anything beyond this team happily ignoring it until it passes), and instead bring to you a list of niceties on why this Raptors team and organization continues to just generally be the best. You can thank me mid-February, as you scroll through your feeds and find that literally every person you know decided to go away somewhere subtropical, and you’re left shivering in your apartment with only the memory of this fuzziest of fuzzy columns to warm you.
You Can Play x Toronto Raptors
Our beloved boys in red and black and sometimes white and red and other times red and white and alternatively black and gold are making NBA history tonight with the You Can Play Project. You Can Play is an organization that was started to ensure the safety and inclusion of everyone in sports, and primarily focuses on working to guarantee that LGBTQ athletes are given a fair and equal opportunity to compete and are only judged by what they contribute to their sport or team’s success.
This will be the first You Can Play night within the NBA, making the Raptors the early ambassadors of a cause already supported by the CFL, MLS, NHL, Canadian Olympic team, just to name a few. The NBA is a markedly progressive organization when it comes to pro-sports, and for the Raptors to be the first team to publically support the You Can Play project feels especially cool and sincerely important.
Plus, we got this picture:
Kyle Lowry’s Butt
It’s ok! More than that, it seems to be back in the sassy swing of things. Most notably with the strange almost-altercation with Sixers rookie, Ben Simmons, earlier this week. In as much seriousness as I can muster under a section titled “Kyle Lowry’s Butt”, it’s a huge relief that Lowry is back in fighting—I do not condone it—shape. The team proved more than capable being without him in arguably two of the highest stakes games of the season so far, but you get the sense of palatable relief knowing the starting point guard and overall sweet, scrappy bruiser of the bunch is back. That relief feels especially real for DeRozan, who made a quiet and sure leader against Cleveland and Golden State, but lamented himself that everything changes, even the smallest details in play, when Lowry isn’t there.
Dad of the Game
CJ Miles had some wise words to share over the current ramped up ratio of altercations in the league.
Here are C.J. Miles’ comments on fighting from earlier today. I tend to agree with the spirit, but at the same time, I’m getting to get these wrestling jokes off. pic.twitter.com/dylkdJ6Cmq
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) January 17, 2018
My favourite part of this statement being the practicality one would have to take into consideration if you truly wanted to get into a fight with another player. Schedules are public, the element of surprise is completely removed when you know where your arch nemesis of the moment is at that very minute and more than that, probably when he’s in the gym, his nutrition requirements, sleep schedule, snacks he likes, allergies, etc. Miles went on to say that what the NBA has now is “a bunch of tweeters” and that “negativity is draining”. Thanks, dad.
DeMar DeRozan: MLG (Most Likeable Guy)
Coming off that truly candid, funny, nice as hell interview DeRozan did on the Woj Podcast, where it felt good knowing that the rest of the fans out there in the league were finally getting a taste of the Debo we know and love here at home, DeRozan seems to just generally be feeling great and showing it off in rare moments of goofing around.
And why not? He’s basically beating his own records on the regular, enjoying a hard-earned and way overdue appreciation from the media and critics, and overall recognition from proving it, over and over, that he’s a leader, hard-worker, and a true talent that is only getting better. Plus it sometimes feels nice to huge some big foam thing with all of your heart.
Fred Is OK
It’s alright to cry with relief when a Literal Angel is involved.
2nd in the East
This feels good. It feels even better knowing the Raptors are three games ahead of Cleveland and only five (choosing to view this as a glass-half-full situation) behind Boston. It shows what Raptors fans already realized was happening, but has meant that the rest of the league started to notice—consistent, hard work is paying off. This isn’t a fluke, folks, and while there will still be people out there determined to write it off as one, the ball, as we know, does not lie. Neither do numbers.
The All-Star Break is Coming
And I hope you know what this means… vacations! While it’s not likely Lowry or DeRozan will get to head off to somewhere sun soaked, I’m looking forward to the possibilities of Pascal beside a pool, JV smiling awkwardly holding a large fish, Ibaka dancing on the back of a boat, and Bruno, possibly, hopefully, getting off the bench and onto a beach somewhere.
The Youth, the Youth, the Youth Are On Fire
No surprise here but the bench continues to ignite the court whenever they are gleefully set free upon it. Since he was made a regular starter in November, OG Anunoby has helped the Raptors go 22-7. Wright hasn’t yet met a defence he can’t cut through and Poeltl continues to surprise with some bold slappers. Most notably the other night against the Warriors when he came flying from behind a completely surprised Steph Curry to deliver a block that floored everyone, including him. Poeltl’s reaction was priceless when he looked up at the replay and realized who he’d just stuffed. Add the most precious of Freds into that mix along with the ingenious dexterity of Siakam, and it’s no wonder Masai is fielding interested phone calls about these guys every single day.
A Decent Schedule
There are very few pros to the grueling kind of schedule the Raptors got slapped with to start the season, not to mention the bumpy road game groupings they’ve had since. But a big benefit is basically getting it all out of the way. With the big(ger) match-ups over and done, the schedule leading up to the All-Star break seems friendly by comparison. The next Boston game, early February, is at home, and while the Wizards could be tricky, Washington’s recent spike in turnovers could bode well for the quick hands of VanVleet, who simply loves to make stealing balls look as easy as lifting a steaming cartoon pie out of an open windowsill.
