Scottie Barnes career highs: Running through the best games of Barnes' career

Scottie Barnes is an ascending talent in the NBA, and the franchise player the Toronto Raptors have decided to build around. Their future will in large part be determined by how great of a player he becomes. Just three years into his career, he has already had a number of standout moments.

What have been the biggest and best performances thus far from Scottie Barnes? What heights has the young forward achieved? Let's look at the career highs for Barnes and some of his best games, starting with his most prolific scoring night.

Highest-scoring: 32 points vs Los Angeles Lakers, 3/10/23

Runner-up: 32 points vs Utah Jazz, 31 points (3 xs)

Scottie Barnes twice scored 32 points in a single game, with his most efficient scoring night coming in Los Angeles in his second season. Barnes erupted for 32 points on 13-for-19 shooting, including going 12-for-15 from 2-points range and chipping in five free throws. It was an all-around performance for him as well, as he chipped in 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

Unfortunately, the Raptors lost that game 122-112, maintaining a worrying theme for Barnes and the Raptors. Barnes' five highest-scoring games all game in losses, and 13 of his 14 highest-scoring contests also produced losses. The lone exception was when he dropped 30 on the Spurs last November and the Raptors managed to eke it out in overtime.

Most rebounds: 17 rebounds vs Los Angeles Lakers, 12/7/22

Runner-up: 17 rebounds vs Lakers 3/18/22; 17 rebounds vs Hornets 12/18/23

Interestingly enough, Barnes' highest points and two of the three times he pulled in 17 rebounds all came in different games vs the Lakers. In this contest, a 126-113 win over the Lakers in December of 2022, Barnes pulled down 12 defensive rebounds and five offensive boards. No starter on a short-handed Lakers team had more than 5, and altogether they had just 18. His rebounding percentage of 26.1 percent was higher than the other two times he reached 17 boards, giving this performance the nod.

Most assists: 12 assists vs Miami Heat, 3/28/23

Runner-up: 12 assists vs Pacers 2/26/24

The Toronto Raptors walloped the Miami Heat in March of 2023, a result that proved to not matter at all when the Heat made a run to the NBA Finals from the 8th seed. At the time it was a meaningful upset and nearly pushed the Heat out of the playoff picture. Barnes was at his playmaking best, slinging 12 assists despite the Raptors shooting only 22.2 percent from deep.

Best Triple Double: 21 / 12/ 12 vs Indiana Pacers, 2/26/24

Runner-up: 31-10-10 vs Charlotte Hornets on 12/8/23

Scottie Barnes' development as a passer and playmaker took a major step forward last season, but a chaotic roster turnover contributed to fewer "breakout" games as a passer. Yet his more well-rounded game did contribute to more well-rounded performances; he entered the season with one career tripole-double, then added four more. The final one, just days before he broke his hand and missed the rest of the season, was a beauty.

Barnes put up 21 points and set teammates up for 12 assists, with 12 rebounds and a whopping five blocks added on for good measure. The Raptors won the game, 130-122, shutting down the Pacers' bench and limiting Pascal Siakam from pulling off a true revenge game.

Best Defensive Game: 5 blocks, 2 steals vs Minnesota Timberwolves, 10/25/23

In the weeks to start the season when Toronto still held out hope of a bounceback season and keeping their core intact, Scottie Barnes and the entire roster absolutely smothered the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves in a game that looks utterly shocking months later given the seasons both teams had. The Raptors won 97-94, with Scottie Barnes putting up 5 blocks, two steals and a defensive rating of just 87.

Best Shooting Night: 7 three-pointers vs Boston Celtics, 12/29/24

Against the Boston Celtics, just hours before the Raptors would trade OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks and begin their roster overhaul, Scottie Barnes was fantastic shooting the ball from deep in a tight 118-120 Toronto loss. It was Barnes' career-high in made 3-pointers by two; he twice hit five in a game. For it to come against the Celtics, and in a game where he also logged five assists, is all the more impressive.

Best Game Score: 34.1 score vs Brooklyn Nets, 2/28/22

Basketball Reference has a metric they calculate based on the box score called the "Game Score" which evaluates how impressive a player's individual game was. Scottie Barnes' all-around game helps to boost that score from time to time, and in February of 2022, the young forward put up the best number of his career, a 34.1. He scored 28 points, had a whopping sixteen rebounds, swiped five steals and had four assists and a block to boot. He shot a scintillating 12-for-14 from the field. Toronto won going away, 133-97, and Barnes was a +30 in the game.