Toronto Raptors: Stock up, stock down after chaotic week
By Mike Luciano
The Toronto Raptors have started to get into a little bit of a groove over the last few games. Despite starting off at 1-3 with three home losses and playing three contests within a four-day span, Scottie Barnes, Fred VanVleet, and the rest of the team managed to reel off three consecutive wins. On Saturday night, they won a road slugfest against the Indiana Pacers.
Toronto is still struggling on offense, especially when it comes to 3-point shooting, but the defense has been as good as advertised. Toronto came into the Indiana game as a Top 10 defense, and their numbers only improved after dismantling a completely discombobulated Pacers team.
The Raptors might not be dominating just yet, but they have looked like a much more potent squad on both sides of the ball. After some readjusting due to the loss of Pascal Siakam, Toronto has stumbled upon some concepts that work on both ends of the floor.
The Raptors have been buoyed by some very impressive performances over the last week. However, if this squad really wants to assert themselves as a playoff team, they have a few players that need to get their act together.
Stock Up, Stock Down for the Toronto Raptors after a chaotic 2021 start.
Stock Up: Scottie Barnes
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. Barnes has been nothing short of sensational, as he averaged 18.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game over the last week. Barnes was billed as a raw player on offense, but he looks like a much more refined player when compared to what we saw at Florida State.
Barnes is now the team’s leading scorer, slightly edging out OG Anunoby. The fact that he has both managed to shoot 55% from the field and score 18 per game as a rookie without a consistent 3-point shot is extremely impressive, and it’s vaunted Toronto right to the top of the Rookie of the Year race.
Scottie Barnes has been dominating for the Toronto Raptors.
Barnes has provided all of the defensive switchability that made him such a valued prospect, but his offensive game has been genuinely astonishing. He looks like a completely different player from his Florida State days, as he has already topped his college career-high multiple times over.
Against the Pacers, Barnes recorded his second 20-point, 10-rebound performance. Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley has been equally impressive, but he and all 2021 rookies not named Barnes combined have zero such games. It’s hard to find much fault in what Barnes has done so far.