Scottie Barnes is coming off an impressive performance against the Boston Celtics.
He put up 26 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds, falling 1 rebound shy of a triple-double.
Barnes had his three ball dropping in this one going 5-for-9 from beyond the arc and he also showcased a much improved mid-range game.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic talked to reporters about the next step in Barnes’ offensive game and him making decisions on the court when it comes to taking that mid-range shot or not:
“For him, it’s now recognizing when that shot makes sense and when that shot does not make sense. If you want to develop an all-star level player, he needs to become a three-level scorer. He needs to be able to be at the rim, shooting threes, but also playing in that mid-range…He cannot just fall in love with that and becomes like part of the offense that makes our offense stagnant. But also, when we need a bucket and we need to put the ball in his hands, him being able to get to those sweet spots and knock down shots.”
Overall, Barnes shot 10-for-17 from the field. He also did a good job of pushing the pace, especially when the Celtics were making a comeback.
Barnes suffered a season-ending surgery on March 1 and got back to action this preseason. Barnes looks like he’s 100 percent healthy and ready to take another leap in his game. If Barnes can showcase the offensive repertoire he displayed against the Celtics moving forward, then his best days are in front of him.
Darko Rajakovic praises Gradey Dick’s offensive improvement
Raptors guard Dick is taking advantage of the preseason.
Dick put together an impressive performance against the Celtics on Tuesday. In 32 minutes, he put up 27 points on 12-for-21 from the field and 3-for-8 from three-point range.
This particularly excited head coach Rajakovic as Dick showcased that he is more than a spot-up shooter. Rajakovic spoke to reporters about Dick’s next stages in development.
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