But the body of work, and the work of Carter’s body, had already made his Springfield case open and shut. The bad times in Toronto have been overcome; the Raptors announced last month that they’ll be retiring Carter’s number 15 on Nov. 2. “I loved playing the game,” Carter said Saturday. “It wasn’t about the numbers. I read all the time, ‘If he had just …’ I can’t imagine not playing 22 years, and looking at Year 17, and how miserable I probably would have been (not playing). Because I still had the love for the game. And it wasn’t about numbers. If they called me to come play for a team and sit for a championship, I’d chase one now. But it wasn’t about that. Because I still felt that I was going to put the work in at 42, 43 years old to go play. And it felt good to go on the court, and a 19- 21-, 25-year-old comes in there. And they’re like, ‘he’s old.’