Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors were back in action on Saturday night to take on Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks.
For Toronto, their defense was challenged. Doncic and Irving were a handful to deal with.
However, the Raptors made them work for this win as Barnes showcased how talented of a playmaker he is. He totaled a career-high 14 assists.
As a whole, Barnes put up 19 points, 14 assists and 8 rebounds. The rising star has been on triple-double watch nearly every night since returning from his eye injury.
That is what the organization is looking for in their franchise player. To be able to get other players going while remaining aggressive is a sight to see.
Four other players were in double figures in Jakob Poeltl, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick and Kelly Olynyk.
After the game, Irving shared kind words for Barnes as he continues to grow and mature as a player, via Toronto Star:
“He’s just a true competitor. He’s been the same way since high school. You gotta give him credit, he does all the little things. I think we’ll see him continue to evolve as a taller guard.”
Stars are beginning to take notice of Barnes’ play and this must be a tremendous confidence booster for him.
Ultimately, the Raptors star needs to continue to stack these kinds of performances.
Obviously, there are going to be bumps in the road as he learns, but Barnes seems to be taking the necessary steps as a no. 1 option.
Nikola Jokic praises Scottie Barnes
This is not the first time opposing stars have spoken out about Scottie Barnes. Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic also praised Barnes this season.
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