The Toronto Raptors have rebounded from a 1–4 opening to the season by winning seven of their last eight contests, lifting their record to 8–5.
The turnaround’s high point came Thursday in Cleveland, where forward Scottie Barnes delivered a standout performance of 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks in 35 minutes, guiding Toronto to its most impressive victory of the stretch.
“I know what I’m capable of, so just gotta bring that every single night,” Barnes told Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. “Be aggressive on both ends. Once I’m attacking downhill and drawing the defense, it just opens up a lot for our team.”
Head coach Darko Rajaković said the box score captures only part of Barnes’ impact. “When you look at 28 points and eight assists, that’s easy to identify he had a good game,” Rajaković said. “But defensively? Five blocks, the deflections, the rotations. He’s doing an outstanding job for us.”
As noted by Eric Koreen of The Athletic, Barnes may have been miscast in previous seasons as the primary scoring option. The arrival of Brandon Ingram has allowed the third-year forward to focus on his all-around game and push the pace in transition.
With Barnes excelling at both ends of the floor, Toronto is positioning itself as a potential factor in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
Source: Hoops Wire
