The Raptors got off to a roaring start this season. After slowing down a bit and in dire need of a win, they finally came away with one in overtime against the Golden State Warriors.
Slipping a bit, the team got a massive, historic boost from its former All-Star. With the team lacking energy and looking for something, Scottie Barnes delivered, and then some.
Off a Brandon Ingram miss with the team down by 2, Barnes went hard to the ball, and was able to clean it up to even things up.
The offensive rebound put-back was one of Barnes’ 25 rebounds, a mark which tied the franchise record set by Bismack Biyombo in 2016.
The victory helped Toronto break a four-game skid, and finally get themselves back on track.
Scottie Barnes Makes Raptors History
It shouldn’t come as a surprise when Scottie Barnes has a big day for the Raptors. The fifth-year forward has been able to do a little bit of everything since joining the squad as a lottery pick in 2021.
There was a contest earlier in the season where Barnes had a line of 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and five blocked shots. That is another that had never been done in franchise history. He’s been the swiss-army knife alongside of Brandon Ingram that has aided in some major victories.
The 24-year-old is averaging 19+ points for a third year in a row, while also making a career-high number of shots. His franchise-record tying 25-rebounds helped to bring his average there to a career-high mark for the season. Defense has been the name of his game, putting up 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks a night.
Not only did Barnes tie the mark with 25 rebounds, put he finished the day with a triple double. The first 20-20 triple-double in the history of the Toronto Raptors.
23 points. 25 rebounds. 10 assists. Add in three steals and a +24 net rating, and you’ve got one of the best performances ever by a Toronto player.
Some of Barnes best work has gone unnoticed, but there was no looking past it on this night.
Raptors Hoping to Use Barnes Bit Night As Springboard
The Western Conference has proven this season to be far stronger then the Eastern Conference. The Raptors, sitting at 19-14, are #4 in the east. But if they did were playing in the west, they would be the #8 seed based on their winning percentage. The 18-13 Phoenix Suns have the #7 spot, whereas they would be #4 based on win percentage in the swap.
Victories like Toronto claimed over the Warriors last night though, are absolutely springboard games. Surviving a tight one in regulation and dominating in overtime can set teams on big winning streaks.
The next three games the team will play features three home battles with the Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets, and Atlanta Hawks. There is no such thing as an easy night in this league, but they do match-up well with two of the three opponents.
Scottie Barnes should have plenty of opportunities as he battles Paolo Banchero and co. Atlanta is in the midst of a six-game skid, and though things can change in the next five days, the Hawks do have one of the league’s worst defenses during their losing streak.
There is more history for Barnes to make. More games for Toronto to win.
Let’s see how they proceed.
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