The Toronto Raptors have added Scottie Barnes and subtracted the purpose guard place from their beginning lineup.
Barnes, sporting red-framed goggles, returned to the Raptors’ lineup Thursday evening for the primary time since fracturing his proper orbital bone on Oct. 28. To make room for the star ahead in Toronto’s beginning 5, head coach Darko Rajakovic made the unorthodox resolution to not have some extent guard.
That selection paid off because the Raptors rolled to a 110-105 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves for Toronto’s first back-to-back wins of the season.
“We now have a whole lot of guys that may deal with the ball and do a whole lot of various things on the sphere,” Barnes stated after the sport, his proper eye nonetheless utterly bloodshot. “So long as we play our offense and do the suitable issues, I really feel like all the pieces might be okay.
“Transfer the ball fairly shortly half courtroom, simply attempt to run, then get into what we normally run, our fundamental units, after which play from there.”
Rajakovic stated in his pregame press convention that Barnes would play restricted minutes upon his return from harm, however that the star ahead was nonetheless efficient, ending with 17 factors, six assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes of play.
His greatest impression got here within the fourth quarter.
Barnes returned to the courtroom with 5:43 left and Toronto trailed by three factors. He assisted on a three-pointer from Montreal’s Chris Boucher 23 seconds later, kicking off a 13-2 run that turned issues round for the Raptors.
“Scottie Barnes. Man, that was enjoyable,” stated RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont. “I believe particularly for me personally, I believe you form of see once we had been down and simply him being within the recreation, the power that he introduced (was big).
“I simply assume everybody, all collectively, performed very well with Scottie within the lineup for us. He is a particular participant.”
Barrett scored a game-high 31 factors, seven rebounds and three assists for Toronto (4-12). Jakob Poeltl had a double-double with 15 factors and 12 rebounds, whereas Boucher scored 22 factors off the bench.
Immanuel Quickley, the Raptors’ place to begin guard, was nonetheless out with {a partially} torn UCL in his left elbow. Davion Mitchell performed the purpose with Barnes out, however as a result of Mitchell is a defensive specialist, Barrett had typically led the staff’s offense.
The Canadian’s sturdy efficiency as some extent guard gave Rajakovic the arrogance to go together with a beginning lineup and not using a level guard.
“The quantity of choose and rolls and conditions that RJ dealt with, and the best way he dealt with the sport and the scoring gave me extra confidence that I can play with each (Barrett and Barnes), which “They’ll share the duties of a pacesetter,” Rajakovic stated.
As for Barnes, not having a chosen chief is Toronto’s power.
“We now have a whole lot of guys who can run, so we now have to run and get the ball,” he stated. “We have had this on the forefront of our minds because the begin of the season and we have simply obtained to keep it up.
“We’re simply doing the suitable issues daily. We’re placing within the exhausting work and dealing collectively to attempt to get that W.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed November 21, 2024.
