So many teams limping to finish line
The Toronto Raptors visit Portland for a tilt with the Trail Blazers on Saturday night. I note with bemusement that ESPN claims tickets can be had for as little as $8, in a city which has no other major professional sports teams. Even the folks in Portlandia don’t care.
Anyway, the game is on, and us diehard Raptors fans will be tuning in, hoping that our downtrodden [Jakob Poeltl’s damaged finger has been surgically repaired. When will he, or Scottie Barnes, return? No one knows.] squad can manage to beat one of the few teams with a worse (17-45) record than Toronto’s 23-40. Portland is also worse off in the ‘sidelined with injury’ department. Here’s the latest for this unfortunate team:
Trail Blazers Injuries: Deandre Ayton, C: Out (Hand), Jerami Grant, PF: Out (Hamstring), Scoot Henderson, PG: Out (Adductor), Jabari Walker, SF: Out (Hip), Shaedon Sharpe, SG: Out (Abdominal), Robert Williams III, C: Out For Season (Knee), Malcolm Brogdon, PG: Out (Elbow)
A coach could easily make a competitive starting five out of this collection. Instead, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups may promote Dalano Banton to the starting group, hoping for extra motivation against his former team.
I wish I had better ideas about how NBA teams could lessen the injuries which cripple so many teams. The world’s best managers and coaches are powerless when a great player blows out a knee, or breaks a bone. Is it time to legislate protective unitards, complete with pebbling at the knees and elbows? The NBA could create a schedule of mandatory suspensions for injuries caused by malicious plays (I’m looking at you, Grayson Allen and Draymond Green). Whatever number of games the injured player has to sit out for – double it, and that’s the penalty. The suspension’s second half would be without pay. Hit ’em in the wallet.
If you stay up to watch this mess, you’re a true fan
I don’t have many thoughts about tonight’s game, other than suggesting that anyone who wagers on it should have their head examined. I griped about the pitiful quality of players the Raptors perpetrated in Q4 against the Pelicans. It could be worse tonight, as both teams will be showing off their minor leaguers.
The NBA…where hapless happens.
