When the Raptors beat the Pistons in a statement win, three players scored over 20 points: Brandon Ingram (34), RJ Barrett (27), and Jakob Poeltl (21). Scottie Barnes was “only” the team’s fourth leading scorer in the game and was almost five points below his season average, but his fingerprints were still all over the victory—the team’s first against a top-three opponent in the Eastern Conference.
Barnes finished with a near triple-double, recording 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks alongside his 14 points on 5-11 shooting. He also set the tone early with his defense on Cade Cunningham and logged a plus/minus of +22. The only players who came even close to that number were Ingram and Quickley who were both +14 for the game.
This was the Raptors’ best and arguably most important win of the season. Barnes had a vastly positive impact on the game without being the team’s leading scorer or rebounder, which just proves how much he does for this team that doesn’t always translate to the most eye-popping numbers. Of course, the Raptors want Barnes to be as aggressive offensively as possible, but he can impact winning basketball without taking a ton of shots, and that’s not an easy thing to do for a young star.
Scottie Barnes can do everything for the Raptors
Barnes has never been the Raptors’ leading scorer for a full season. Even this season, Ingram and Barrett both average more points than Barnes. But that doesn’t change the fact that Barnes is the Raptors’ most important player and will ultimately decide how far the team will go in the playoffs this season and beyond.
Barnes is a good scorer. He is also a strong rebounder, a smart passer, and an outstanding defender. Not many players in the league average at least one steal and one block per game and even fewer can make the kind of clutch defensive plays Barnes makes regularly or guard as many positions as he can.
Barnes’s versatility on both ends of the floor makes him the perfect player to build around.
How much better can Scottie Barnes still get?
Barnes is only 24 years old. He’s not even in his prime yet. So, it’s natural to expect him to get even better as his career continues. Still, one big question remains: Can Barnes become a true number-one option on a championship contender? Can he become the team’s go-to scorer while remaining an absolute menace defensively?
The answer to that question will decide the Raptors’ future. If the front office doesn’t think he can become that player, they will have to trade for a true superstar to help elevate the team from a playoff squad to a possible championship contender.
Even if Barnes doesn’t become that true number-one option, he will be an excellent player and key contributor on a winning team. Being a do-it-all two-way star is impressive either way.