Raptors news: Nick Nurse, Scottie Barnes trash Scott Foster, Jeff Dowtin stars in G League

The Toronto Raptors may have choked another fourth-quarter lead against the Denver Nuggets, but that explanation only tells half of the story. Referee Scott Foster ruined the end of the game by calling some extremely ticky-tack fouls against Toronto and ejecting Scottie Barnes with just a few seconds left.

Head coach Nick Nurse, like the rest of the Raptors fans who stayed up late, was left entirely befuddled by Foster’s decision. Nurse, who is trying to get his Raptors team motivated for a grueling West Coast trip, said that there was “nothing” that warranted an ejection from Foster.

Barnes said that he was just talking to himself and that Foster took offense to something he said. Foster’s explanation for the incident, which hinted that Barnes was trying to “question the integrity of the crew” seems more like nitpicking and complaining rather than NBA law enforcement.

Barnes, who finished the night with 12 points and nine rebounds, tweeted that he was “in disbelief” after getting thrown out of the game. Don’t worry, Scottie! All of Raptors fandom is behind you! Foster has to know deep down that he made an egregious call in the moment.

More Raptors news:

• Two-way guard Jeff Dowtin finished with 25 points and four assists in Raptors 905’s victory over the G League Ignite, outplaying expected No. 2 pick Scoot Henderson in the process.
• Scarborough’s own Leonard Miller, who is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2023 draft, recorded 16 points on 6-14 shooting to go along with eight rebounds.
• Synergy Sports revealed which players have the best opposing field goal percentage against in isolation situations, and Raptors wing OG Anunoby was ranked at the very top. Anunoby’s opponents shoot just 28% from the field when he is matched up with them.

NBA news:

• The NBA rescinded a rebound that would have given Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo a triple-double. After the league saw a video of Giannis purposefully missing a shot on purpose in order to grab his own miss, the league did not count that board as legitimate, ruling that he didn’t shoot “with intent to score a field goal.”
• New York Knicks forward Julius Randle and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively. Raptors killer Randle helped the Knicks extend their winning streak to nine games, while Booker averaged 36 points per game alongside new addition Kevin Durant giving him more support.