The Toronto Raptors have welcomed Scottie Barnes back to the team while removing the point guard position from their starting lineup. Barnes, who wore red-framed protective goggles, made his return on Thursday night after recovering from a fractured right orbital bone sustained on October 28.
To accommodate the all-star forward in the starting five, head coach Darko Rajakovic made the unconventional decision to play without a point guard. This strategy proved successful, as the Raptors secured a 110-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking their first consecutive wins of the season. “We have plenty of players who can handle the ball and contribute in various ways on the court,” Barnes stated after the game, his right eye still visibly red. “As long as we stick to our offense and play the right way, I believe everything will turn out well.”
All-star Scottie Barnes made his return to the Raptors lineup against the Timberwolves. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer in overtime, leading the Celtics to a 126-123 victory over the Raptors. The aggressive style of play proved to be a double-edged sword for Toronto.
In his pre-game press conference, head coach Darko Rajakovic mentioned that Barnes would have limited minutes as he returned from injury, but the all-star forward still made an impact, scoring 17 points to go along with six assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes. His significant contribution was particularly noticeable in the fourth quarter. Barnes reentered the game with 5:43 remaining and Toronto down by three. Just 23 seconds later, he assisted on a three-pointer by Chris Boucher, sparking a 13-2 run that shifted the momentum in favor of the Raptors. “Scottie Barnes. Wow, that was exciting,” said RJ Barrett from Mississauga. “You could really see that when we were down, his presence on the court brought so much energy.” Barrett scored a game-high 31 points and contributed seven rebounds and three assists for Toronto (4-12), while Jakob Poeltl recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Boucher added 22 points off the bench. Starting point guard Immanuel Quickley remained sidelined due to a partially torn UCL in his left elbow.
With Barnes out, Davion Mitchell had been filling in at point guard, but since he is primarily a defensive player, Barrett often took the lead on offense. Barrett’s strong playmaking abilities reassured Rajakovic about utilizing a no-point-guard starting lineup. “The way RJ managed pick-and-rolls and playmaking gave me more confidence to have him and Scottie share point guard responsibilities,” Rajakovic said. As for Barnes, he believes the absence of a designated point guard enhances the Raptors’ strengths. “We have a lot of players who can run, so we need to push the pace,” he said. “That’s been our focus since the start of the season, and we just need to stick with it.” “We’re consistently doing the right things and putting in the effort to work together for the win.”
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