RAPTORS BLOG: Barnes making fastest impact as rookie since Vince and starting lineup thoughts once Siakam’s back

0

Article content

Two wins, by four combined points against two struggling teams. Not a bad weekend’s work for the now over-.500 Raptors.

Advertisement

Article content

And most importantly, x-rays on Scottie Barnes’s hand were negative.

Speaking of Barnes, doesn’t seem like the grind of the back-to-back got to him at all. Yet again he was the best player on the court. If you’re sensing a theme in this space, you’re on to something. Barnes is very, very good. He’s a special player.

I had asked him on Thursday how he was feeling so far, since the games and practices coming so often is new to him and much different than his college or high school workload. Barnes said he felt good and even late in the game Saturday he was still moving out there.

His second jump ability is excellent and his touch around the rim and ability to get shots off quickly, even over giants like Myles Turner, has been eye-opening.

Advertisement

Article content

Of course the clip that has been circulating of him going coast-to-coast in only three dribbles was also something to see. Raptors fans have to be dancing in the streets about Barnes, the most immediately impactful rookie they’ve seen in these parts probably since Vince Carter (Chris Bosh was impressing ahead of schedule too, but not like Barnes has. Bosh looked like a good starter from Day 1, but didn’t give a lot of hints of how good he was going to be eventually, but Barnes already looks and plays like an all-star).

No Goran Dragic, even with Fred VanVleet playing a ton of highly physical minutes and even with VanVleet getting into some early foul trouble. Interesting. I’d asked Nick Nurse about Dragic on Friday and he said they are in constant communication and Dragic needs to stay ready. But this saga is likely going one way, he’ll either be traded or bought out. The Raptors did that sign-and-trade to help out Kyle Lowry and to get Precious Achiuwa. Dragic was just to make the salaries work. He’s a great guy and a good veteran presence, but he wasn’t playing well and there’s no long-term fit. In six weeks a lot more players will be trade eligible (off-season free agent signings), which could make a Dragic trade much easier to pull off. Failing that, I’d expect a buyout.

Advertisement

Article content

One game after the first 50% shooting performance of the year by the Raptors, it was back to 43% work. VanVleet (and others) aren’t thrilled about how physical the game is this year with referees largely swallowing their whistles as part of the NBA’s efforts to get foul-baiting out of the game. As VanVleet said though, they’ve over-corrected and you can expect things to stabilize as the season moves along.

Will have much more on starting lineup thoughts in the coming days and weeks but my initial thought is Nurse has no perfect options once Pascal Siakam returns. There’s no way you can make Barnes a sixth man, even though that was his role even as the star at Florida State. You can’t make Siakam, the team’s most decorated and highest-paid player come off the bench, outside of possibly for a few games as he gets used to playing again. Taking out VanVleet is obviously an impossibility, as is removing OG Anunoby. That leaves Gary Trent, who has been excellent in a starting role after not doing nearly as much as a reserve. Trent’s a great fit in all kinds of ways, but struggling to find a way it isn’t him. The issues with the obvious choice, Precious Achiuwa, is you can’t play Siakam or Anunoby big minutes at centre all season because they’ll be worn out and possibly hurt going against the league’s behemoths all the time. And you can’t play Achiuwa, Khem Birch (who I’d start) and Chris Boucher as reserves. It just won’t work.

But Nurse is far more creative than me. We’ll see what he comes up with whenever Siakam is ready.

THREE STARS

1- Scottie Barnes

2- Domantas Sabonis

3- Fred VanVleet

THREE STARS VS. MAGIC

1- Scottie Barnes

2- Fred VanVleet

3- Cole Anthony

Advertisement

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our  Twitter, & Facebook

We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.

For all the latest Basketball News Click Here 

Read original article here

Denial of responsibility! Rapidtelecast.com is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
Leave a comment