It had been nearly two months since Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram both cleared 20 points in the same game. Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram have been the unquestioned best players on the Raptors all season. They were both selected as All-Stars this season, marking just the seventh time in franchise history the Raptors had two All-Star selections.
Brandon Ingram is the team leader in points, while Scottie Barnes leads the team in rebounds, steals, and blocks. Together, they make a devastating pair that is fueling Toronto's most successful season in years.
This is what it looks like when it works
On Tuesday night against the Heat, they both had an excellent game. Ingram had 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, while shooting an efficient 9/16 from the field. Barnes put up an even more impressive 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, while shooting 10/16 from the field.
Aside from their box score numbers, both players were aggressive from the opening tip. Barnes pushed the pace and created plays in transition, while Ingram found his spots in the halfcourt and converted tough looks. In a must-win game, it was exactly what the Raptors needed from their star players. Toronto entered play only a game ahead of Philadelphia for the final guaranteed playoff spot.
It has been too long since a performance like this
The performance against the Heat marks the first time since February 4 that both Barnes and Ingram have scored more than 20 points in the same game. Toronto has played 27 games since that date. In the first 52 games of the season, the star duo combined for 15 games reaching the 20-point plateau.
Barnes especially has seen a scoring downtick since early February. In the team’s past 27 games, Barnes has averaged just 15.9 points. Before February 4, he was averaging 19.4.
Some of that drop was by design. Immanuel Quickley missed the last eight games with injury, and Barnes was asked to step into a primary point guard role. That responsibility naturally leads to fewer scoring opportunities.
However, that only explains part of it. Some of it may be nagging injuries, or the galactic-sized defensive load he carries every night. Regardless of the reason, Toronto needs Barnes to be more aggressive as a scorer if they want to be truly competitive.
Ingram has also seen a slight decrease in his scoring production, although his dip has been less pronounced.
The game against the Miami Heat showed Toronto’s fans their formula for winning: their All-Star duo needs to produce. Toronto is fighting for a guaranteed playoff spot, and the fifth seed is still within reach as well. With three games left in the season, this version of Barnes and Ingram needs to show up in each of their remaining games.