The Raptors, who are still on a developing trajectory without their best player, exude an air of business as usual.
With all-star Scottie Barnes sidelined due to a left hand injury sustained in Friday’s game against the Golden State Warriors, the Raptors went into their Sunday night game against the visiting Charlotte Hornets—who were also without several key players—with a mindset of “next man up.” There has been no update on his rehabilitation timeline, and he is out indefinitely.
Up until Friday, Barnes had played in all sixty games, demonstrating his exceptional durability. No single player will be able to fill his approximately 35 minutes per night in his absence. It is being done by committee by the team.
Coach Darko Rajakovic rattled off nearly every player on the roster prior to the game, saying, “We have a lot of young guys (and) this will be a great opportunity for them to step up.” Opportunities abound everywhere. And those guys will have the opportunity to seize things, grow from them, and learn from them. However, our goals remain the same: to compete and attempt to win each and every night.
In light of this, the Raptors performed admirably to win 111-106 at Scotiabank Arena. With clutch free throws to seal the victory, Immanuel Quickley—who had been splitting point guard responsibilities with Barnes since January—finished with a season-high 22 points and 11 assists. RJ Barrett, the teammate in the backcourt, contributed 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.
After starting in lieu of Barnes, Ochai Agbaji finished with 13 points and 9 rebounds in 33 minutes, narrowly missing his first NBA double-double. He dazzled the 19,512 spectators in the third quarter by deflecting a Miles Bridges attempt and then sprinting the length of the floor for a score.
“I think that’s where I want to be, whether it’s for five minutes or thirty, or anything in between. And I’m trying to make the most of it,” Agbaji stated following the match.
Even though Agbaji only made six of his 20 shots, Rajakovic commended him for his energy and timely cuts to the basket.
Bruce Brown was not available for the Raptors, who are currently 23-38 and ranked 12th in the Eastern Conference due to a right knee ailment. Centre Jakob Poeltl was also out at halftime due to a dislocated finger on his left hand. He never came back.
Consequently, Jontay Porter filled in at backup centre after Poeltl left, while youngster Gradey Dick (11 points, including multiple three-pointers for the 14th time this season), Jordan Nwora (11 points), and D.J. Carton also received increased playing time.
The team’s message, according to Rajakovic, remains the same in Barnes’ absence: never stop improving and learning.
In addition to stressing the need to properly “protect the paint going forward,” Rajakovic stated, “They did some really good stuff, and I think there’s another layer to it.” In the paint, the Hornets scored sixty-two points.
Meanwhile, Charlotte arrived in town without LaMelo Ball, Seth Curry, or Cody Martin—all of whom were injured regulars. Before this trip, the Hornets had lost three straight games and now lie eight games behind the Raptors in the East with a 15-46 record. With 26 points and 10 rebounds, rookie Brandon Miller led the Hornets in scoring.
The head coach of the Hornets, Steve Clifford, stated, “It’s going to be a real challenge to win, but that doesn’t mean you play losing basketball.” “those that attempt to play the proper way and win and those that just park it in differ significantly from one another. Additionally, I believe it is crucial for an organisation to aim to win every game.
Without Barnes, the Raptors are in a comparable predicament.
After a game, we can’t become too excited or too low, according to Rajakovic. “Those guys need to be developed further by us. Furthermore, it is irrelevant how they fare in a particular game. We have the chance to help them recover from a poor performance or draw lessons from it. or to accept it if they perform well.
