Panic or Patience? 3 potentially concerning trends for the Raptors

1. Scottie Barnes’ offensive funk

After roaring out to a fantastic start to his pro career, Barnes has slowed up just a bit now that defenses are starting to get a bit more film on him. While he is still impacting the game on both ends, he hasn’t been as clinical on the offensive end since the calendar flipped to January.

Despite playing 33 minutes in five games since returning from the health and safety protocols, Barnes is averaging just 9.6 points per game. He is shooting just 39% from the field and has not scored more than 13 points in a game. The stats belie the fact that Barnes is still making plays for this team.

Should the Toronto Raptors be concerned about Scottie Barnes?

Barnes’ new role is honestly not dissimilar from what Marc Gasol was doing during his Toronto tenure. He’s still making waves as a passer and on-ball defender, and the return of players like Anunoby and Siakam has cut into his shot attempts. Barnes should be fine as far as his long-term potential is concerned.

With four other starters that demand the ball, Nurse has chosen to sacrifice touches for Barnes in order to make sure all of those players can get their shots up. If required, Barnes has proven to be a quality offensive player that is capable of carrying this offense for a night or two.

Verdict: Patience