The Toronto Raptors certainly did not resemble a 14th-seeded team when they faced the New York Knicks on December 9.
The Raptors put up a strong fight against New York, doing their utmost to keep the game within reach as they aimed to seize the opportunity to impress a home crowd. Consequently, this matchup was the only NBA game scheduled for that night, providing the Raptors with a rare opportunity to shine in the spotlight.
However, it becomes challenging to do so when unfortunate circumstances arise, particularly when they involve franchise cornerstone Scottie Barnes.
Barnes showcased a strong performance in the 22 minutes he played against the Knicks, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists. On the path to what seemed like another stellar night at the office, the walls came crashing down for Barnes and the Toronto Raptors, as the versatile forward sustained yet another alarming injury.
Scottie Barnes suffers another unfortunate injury
Scottie Barnes leaped from behind to block Karl Anthony-Towns' attempted shot at the rim, making direct contact with Towns using his right foot upon landing. Barnes collapsed to the ground in pain, visibly mouthing the words, "I can't feel my foot."
Freak injuries are one thing; you can't truly prepare for unfortunate collisions, but there appears to be a trend in Scottie Barnes' injury history: they consistently involve rival centers.
In April 2022, Scottie Barnes sustained the first serious injury of his NBA career. It occurred during a high-stakes Game 1 playoff matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, when Joel Embiid stepped on Scottie Barnes' left ankle, delivering nearly 300 pounds of pressure onto his foot.
Thankfully, it would only be classified as a left ankle sprain, and Barnes would miss some time as he navigated through the injury in a walking boot.
The narrative is nearly identical in Barnes' injury involving Towns; however, this time it concerns his other foot.
Recent sightings of Scottie Barnes at practice indicate that he is wearing a walking boot and limping noticeably, a condition that the Raptors' staff are currently labeling as a right ankle sprain. He is expected to undergo additional imaging in the coming days, and the Raptors will provide an official announcement regarding the details and expected recovery afterward.
The Raptors are still calling Barnes’ injury a right ankle sprain. He’s in a protective walking boot today and is going for more imaging. They’re hoping to have an update on him tomorrow.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) December 10, 2024
Toronto has already faced a challenging period without Barnes, who sustained a right orbital fracture from an elbow delivered by Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic in late October.
Injury woes have plagued the Toronto Raptors this season, causing their promising lineups to falter at critical moments. Once again, they find themselves at the mercy of their unfortunate luck.
There is hope that Scottie Barnes' injury is nothing more than a sprain. If the Raptors were to lose their versatile and dynamic star forward to a more serious injury, it would surely lead to a miserable remainder of the 2024-25 season, to say the least.
You have to tip your hat to Scottie Barnes for going head-to-head with some of the NBA's top centers. However, given the trend of injuries that often follows such matchups, it’s reasonable to think that Barnes should approach his encounters with opposing bigs with a bit more caution moving forward.