The Toronto Raptors fell to the Washington Wizards in their second preseason contest 113-95.
This was an ugly game that saw the Raptors shoot 35.8 percent from the field, 21.2 percent from three and commit 23 turnovers along with 32 fouls.
Chris Boucher led Toronto with 22 points and 7 rebounds. Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes returned to NBA action for the first time since March 1 and put up 16 points an 8 rebounds.
Scottie Barnes is back
Barnes made an immediate impact in this game. He used a Jakob Poeltl screen to get into the paint for a bucket, then he got a pull-up mid-range jumper to fall and then connected with Poeltl on a nice transition feed. The hot start from Barnes caused the Wizards to burn a timeout 1 minute into the game. From there, Barnes picked up three quick fouls and committed four turnovers. However, Barnes looked confident and decisive on both ends. Barnes played 20 minutes in total and shot 7-for-15 from the field, but he was 0-for-5 from three. Overall, it was a solid preseason debut for Barnes after being sidelined for the last few months.
Chris Boucher is eyeing a rotation spot
Outside of Barnes, the other big bright spot for Toronto was the play of Boucher. After a disappointing 2023-24 season, Boucher seems eager to have a bounce back year. He was the Raptors best player on this night scoring 22 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field and 3-for-4 shooting from deep. He also had 7 rebounds in 18 minutes of action. Boucher has been the first player off the bench for the Raptors through two preseason games. With the Raptors dealing with a couple of injuries and with Boucher looking rejuvenated, it seems likely that he will be in Toronto’s rotation to start the season.
Raptors three-point shooting woes
The Raptors have been a poor three-point shooting team the last few seasons. In this game the Raptors were ice cold from downtown shooting 7-for-33. Toronto lost their best three-point shooter in Gary Trent Jr. this offseason and if they aren’t able to hit open looks it will be a long year for them. Toronto’s guards Gradey Dick, Davion Mitchell, Jamal Shead and DJ Carton combined to shoot 4-for-20 from deep. Granted Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Ja’Kobe Walter and Bruce Brown did not play. However, if the Raptors are going to be competitive this season they need to hit the outside shot with consistency.
Next on tap
The Toronto Raptors will take on the Boston Celtics in their third preseason game on Oct. 13.
Have you subscribed to the Raptors Nation YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
