It is the refuge from troubled and troubling times — a chance to put concerns on the back burner for a couple of hours, get lost in the pursuit of athletic achievement and bask in the love of a sport the drives every NBA player and coach.
It’s not that they aren’t cognizant of the problems facing the world, and renewed concerns about the latest COVID-19 variant that’s already had an impact on the league, but playing the game is solace.
And an escape.
“When you really love it, and you love what you do for a living and you love to play, it’s the escape,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said before Toronto crushed the Sacramento Kings 124-101 at Scotiabank Arena on Monday night.