NBA seasons are long and hard, tiring and trying. Bodies get sore, minds go elsewhere, and the tugs of real life can weigh on a player. It is virtually impossible to be up for each of the 82 games.
Minimizing the lulls — getting over the inevitable humps — is what separates great teams from average ones and average ones from the dregs of the league.
“We’ve got to still enjoy the process, enjoy the fight, and just be passionate out there,” Raptors forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson said. “Having fun with our teammates, I feel like that will help us get over that hump.