TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors need to rebuild Scottie Barnes as a whole.
Barnes was wearing an air cast boot and walking with a cane at Raptors practice Tuesday morning at Scotiabank Arena. A team spokesman said the boot was only meant to protect his right ankle, an injury suffered in the third quarter of Toronto’s 113-108 loss to the New York Knicks the night before.
With Barnes out for days, if not weeks, the Raptors will need to find a way to replace the All-Star’s offensive and defensive production.
“The versatility he brings means he’s not a one-dimensional player and doesn’t require one player to pick up the slack,” sophomore swingman Gradey Dick said. “The way he can move the ball, his unselfishness and the way he can score.
“So I think we have to put those little pieces together and figure out how to do each task.”
Barnes is averaging 20.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in 14 games this season. Those numbers are better than last season, when he averaged 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game, earning him his first NBA All-Star Game appearance.
He’s also good defensively, recording 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game this season.
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“It’s tough because Scottie does everything on the court: defend, pass, score, shoot, create mismatches,” reserve point guard Davion Mitchell said. He will likely see increased playing time with Barnes out. “Everyone needs to pick up. Not just me, but literally everyone in the field, we have to do something better, we have to do something more.
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“Everyone needs to step up. It’s not about one person taking a step forward. It’s like everyone has to step up.”
Barnes, Toronto’s only All-Star last season, had to be helped off the court with 6:47 left in the third as the Raptors outshot New York 73-68. He recorded 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists before collapsing.
Coach Darko Rajkovic said after the game that Barnes’ ankle X-ray was negative. After practice, he said Barnes would undergo additional medical imaging Tuesday afternoon.
“The whole team needs to step up,” Rajakovic said. “I’m really hoping they won’t miss much time here without Scottie. Because Scottie will be back soon.
“But in the meantime, the next one will come. That mentality has been with us from the beginning and someone else needs to take the opportunity and do more for us.”
Versatility is not only an aspect of how Barnes plays, but also defines his position. Ostensibly a power forward this season, he is splitting playmaking duties with swingman RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., while starting point guard Immanuel Quickley is recovering from a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament.
“”He does a lot of things. Every time you lose a player, someone else has to step up,” Rajakovic said. “Stepping up doesn’t necessarily mean taking more shots and putting more pressure on your shoulders.
“It’s just about being more confined and doing little things. Can you go over the screen without hitting it? Are you conveying news coverage? Is that closer to boxing?”
Rajakovic said Quickley also completed imaging on Tuesday and that his ligaments are healing but he is still not cleared for contact.
Injuries have been a problem for the Raptors all season, with the core of Barnes, Barrett and Quickley not playing together for 47 straight games dating to last season.
This is Barnes’ second serious injury of the campaign. He missed 11 games from October 30 to November 18 with a fractured orbital bone after taking an elbow to the face.
“We have had key players and key players in very few roles throughout the season,” Rajakovic said. “At the same time, it doesn’t allow us to see what our bench will look like when we have people in those roles. It makes it difficult.
“I’m hoping that soon we’ll have a situation where we can look at our full roster.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024.
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© 2024 The Canadian Press
