Scottie Barnes had an epic 30-point performance on Nov. 5 that put the entire NBA world on notice.
Barnes scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. He hit a couple of clutch threes, including a stepback three with less than a minute to go to tie the game up.
The Raptors would go on to win the game in overtime.
Dennis Schroder appeared on The Raptors Show and shared a story about Barnes calling his own play which ended up being the stepback three to tie the game:
“In the timeout, Coach drew up a play and [Scottie Barnes] was like ‘Yeah, but I can just stepback three it’… The next play he really did it.”
Scottie Barnes didn’t back down in the clutch 💯
(via @JustEsBaraheni)pic.twitter.com/FHM8vP65IQ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 7, 2023
Rajakovic wanted Barnes to go to the paint, but Barnes just wanted to hit a stepback three and that he did.
The confidence Barnes had to call his own play over Rajakovic’s and actually deliver is a true testament to the special kind of season Barnes is currently having.
Barnes hit 5 three-pointers in the game and he has drastically improved in that area so far this season. Barnes is shooting it 42.1 percent from downtown. He only shot it 28.1 percent from three last season.
It’s only a 7 game sample size but that’s a massive difference. Defenders freely let Barnes shoot it last season and now they have to contest him.
As Barnes showed us in the final minute of regulation against the Spurs he can now even hit stepback threes with a defender all over him:
SCOTTIE BARNES TIES THE GAME WITH A STEPBACK THREE 🔥pic.twitter.com/5g0dVuwa1g
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 5, 2023
Barnes looks to continue his hot play when the Raptors take on the Dallas Mavericks. It’s the third game of their four game road trip.
Gregg Popovich shares high praise for Darko Rajakovic
Following the Raptors win against the Spurs, Gregg Popovich had some high praise for his former colleague.
He believes that Rajakovic has a “really brilliant mind.”
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