Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors returned to the court on Saturday to face Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks. The Raptors knew they would face a tough challenge defensively, especially with Luka Doncic and Irving in the backcourt, as their scoring ability is difficult to handle.
Nevertheless, Toronto made the Mavericks earn their victory, with Barnes demonstrating his impressive playmaking skills by recording a career-high 14 assists. Overall, Barnes finished the game with 19 points, 14 assists, and 8 rebounds. The rising star has consistently been on triple-double alert since his return from an eye injury.
This is precisely what the organization hopes for in a franchise player: the ability to support teammates while maintaining an aggressive playing style. In addition, four other players scored in double figures: Jakob Poeltl, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, and Kelly Olynyk.
After the game, Irving had encouraging words for Barnes, highlighting his growth and development as a player, according to the Toronto Star:
“He’s a genuine competitor. He’s always played this way since high school. You have to credit him for his attention to detail. I think we’ll see him keep evolving as a taller guard.” Stars are starting to notice Barnes’ performance, which must be a huge confidence boost for him. Receiving praise from a skilled point guard like Irving is quite a compliment. Ultimately, the Raptors star needs to keep delivering these strong performances. While there will be challenges as he learns, Barnes appears to be making the right progress as a leading option.
As noted, this isn’t the first time that opposing stars have commented on Scottie Barnes. One such player is Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. After their exciting overtime game on October 29, in which Barnes recorded 21 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, Jokic took the opportunity to express his admiration for the Raptors star.
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