James Johnson Watch Week 16: All-Star parties and unfortunate injuries

Lost amid the din of All-Star this and All-Star that is a quiet voice in the way back region of your mind saying, or perhaps urging: please, enough. Huge events always operate as such. On one level, massive and loud and entertaining. And on another, totally unruly and dispiriting in their inevitable exclusivity. Only a select few can truly enjoy themselves away from the throng. We, the rest of us, just get to hang out and hang on (in the figurative and literal cold).

I've often wondered how the rest of the NBA population feels about All-Star weekend, the league's most exclusive event in some ways. It's a party open to all in the league, sure, but they're under no obligation to attend. Outside of the 24 names called, and the handful of skills/dunk/shooting competition contestants, a player can skip the whole thing entirely. Don't feel like getting lost in sub-zero Toronto for three days? Book a flight to Aruba! It could be done. I suspect more than one NBA player has said out loud at least once "sure, yeah, let's party" while in the back of their mind, they were thinking "oh man, I just want to sleep." It happens. We've all been there.

James Johnson has been sitting out since this month began. He got himself hurt in Denver with a "bad" ankle sprain. There is no timetable for his return. One would think the All-Star festivities -- the events, the game, the party, the whatever -- would offer a welcome reprieve, the rare union of the inner and outer voice in agreement. He can just stay home and think: Yes, this is right. It is quiet. Let's rest.

Did James Johnson Play?

No, he did not. And I don't want to talk about it.

Game Highlight

Johnson gave a shout out this week to Jamal Crawford and his new sneakers, which is nice. Nothing else to report.

Shout out to @JCrossover for the sneakers. Humbled to rock these on the court. #lit #CrossOver pic.twitter.com/3Q0GWtSBtR

— James Johnson (@IamJJ3) February 7, 2016

Here's hoping these shoes do a better job of protecting against bad ankle sprains.

Prediction for the Week

Because of the All-Star Weekend festivities, the Raptors don't play until February 19th against Chicago. That's a whole week off for the James Johnson Watch. With luck, by then JJ's ankle will be healed and we'll be back to making wild ass predictions that may or may not be based on any factual reality.

Over/Under Minutes: Zero!

See you next week.

I hope.