It is a schedule quirk built out of necessity that has been spun as a selling point of a COVID-ravaged NBA season. Sure, teams often find themselves playing with skeleton eight-man rosters. And yes, there continue to be postponements stacked upon postponements as the league navigates a pitfall-rife existence outside the protection of its summertime bubble.
But look on the bright side: At least the Raptors, who lost to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night in Tampa, get the chance for a prompt rematch against the Heat on Friday in Tampa. Exciting, no?
To which Fred VanVleet, usually an unfailing voice of reason and enthusiasm, didn’t sound particularly excited.