The Raptors’ 121-95 win against the Miami Heat marked the first time since March 20 that Scottie Barnes took more than 14 shots in a game. It also marked the first time in April that he made more than five shots and scored at least 20 points.
The game was also the first time since March 22 that Immanuel Quickley played. He had been out with plantar fasciitis for several games. It’s no coincidence that Quickley’s return coincided with Barnes’s best scoring game in a while. Having Quickley back lightens the load Barnes has to carry as an offensive creator and puts someone on the court who can create open shots for him.
Quickley only played 18 minutes and went 1-3 from the floor, but he recorded four assists, which was good enough for third-most behind Jamal Shead and Barnes. He connected with Barnes on two of those assists—a layup and a dunk—and twice with Brandon Ingram for long jumpers.
Getting Immanuel Quickley back is huge for the Raptors
The Raptors sorely missed Quickley’s playmaking and gravity as a 3-point shooter while he was out. He leads the team in assists per game with six and in 3-point attempts with 6.9. Quickley doesn’t just take a lot of threes, though. He also makes them at a solid clip, sinking 37.5% of his attempts. That makes him one of the Raptors’ few volume shooters opponents actually have to guard at the 3-point line and close out on.
Even if he’s not back to 100% yet, getting Quickley back for the last three games of the regular season is huge. The Hawks, Raptors, Magic, and 76ers are all within 1.5 games of each other. Any loss could send the Raptors back into the play-in picture, and any win could put them back in that coveted fifth place.
Having Quickley back certainly boosts the Raptors’ chances of ending the regular season on a high note.
The Raptors ask a lot of Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes is the face of the Raptors franchise right now. That comes with many opportunities but also with a lot of pressure and responsibility. His versatile skill set makes it easy for the Raptors to rely on him to play many different roles and be the main solution when problems pop up.
Sometimes, he has to guard centers like Nikola Jokic. Other times, he’s defending a smaller guard. When Jakob Poeltl missed some time, he helped fill the gap at the center spot. When Quickley went down, he took on the point guard responsibilities.
Barnes wears a lot of different hats for this team, and, while his versatility is his biggest asset, sometimes it’s a relief not to have to do everything.