Scottie Barnes already has some playoff experience. He played four games in 2021-22—his rookie season—when the Raptors lost to the 76ers in the first round. Barnes was a full-time starter and a key piece for the Raptors in that series, but he didn’t play nearly as big a role as he is playing this season.
He was surrounded by other stars. Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Fred VanVleet all averaged more minutes than him in the regular season and the playoffs alike. Those three and Gary Trent Jr. also shouldered most of the scoring burden. Barnes only led the Raptors in one category over those four playoff games: rebounding.
This time around, things will be very different. Those other players are all gone. Siakam was traded to the Pacers, Anunoby is a Knick now, and Fred VanVleet moved West to Houston. So, Barnes will have to take charge and lead his team on both ends of the floor because he is one of the Raptors’ main stars now.
Scottie Barnes’s role grew quickly
Barnes went from being a young fourth or fifth starter to the Raptors’ most important long-term building block and a top contributor. He finished the regular season leading the Raptors in rebounds, assists (tied with Immanuel Quickley), steals, and blocks per game. He also finished second in minutes and third in points.
On top of that, Barnes is the Raptors’ most important defender, as his versatility allows him to guard any position and any star player on the opposing team depending on the Raptors’ needs in any given game.
Barnes will have to carry just as big an offensive and defensive load as he did in the regular season in his second trip to the playoffs. Unlike last time, his team’s success depends on him, along with some other players, and he will be on top of the Cavaliers’ scouting report.
It will be a very different experience from Barnes’s first taste of playoff basketball, and he may need a game to adjust, but he has to get used to it quickly—and not just to give the Raptors a chance to win a game or two in this series. Even if the Raptors make a blockbuster move to get a traditional number-one option to help get the team to the next level, Barnes will still be a top player the next time they go to the playoffs.
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