Barnes Leads, Raptors Roll Past Pacers with 122-104
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By Nemanja Petković
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Summary:
- Raptors’ Scottie Barnes scored 25 points and 14 rebounds
- Darko Rajakovic praised Barnes’ long-term potential, calling him a future MVP and Finals MVP.
- Trayce Jackson-Davis made a solid Raptors debut with a double-double in limited minutes.
Darko Rajakovic did not hesitate when asked about Scottie Barnes after Sunday’s win in the NBA. In his mind, the direction of the Toronto Raptors is clear, and it runs straight through their young star.
“Scottie Is Defensive Player of the Year”
Barnes was at the center of Toronto’s 122-104 win over the Indiana Pacers, putting up 25 points and 14 rebounds in a game that got away from Indiana after halftime.
Along the way, he passed Pascal Siakam for the fifth-most double-doubles in franchise history, now sitting at 103. Siakam, of course, was on the other bench Sunday, having been traded to Indiana earlier this season.
Rajakovic went well beyond box-score praise when talking about Barnes afterward.
Scottie is defensive player of the year. He’s an all-star. He’s going to be a Finals MVP. He’s going to be an MVP one day. Write down the date I said that.
Barnes smiled when he heard it:
That’s my coach, man. He’s always supporting us. He’s always got our backs. That’s Darko for you.
Third-Quarter Turn
The game turned in the third quarter, when Barnes took full control. He scored 13 points in the period, pulled down eight rebounds, and filled in everywhere else with four assists, two blocks, and a steal. Toronto shot over 60% in the quarter, hit all six of its free throws, and outscored Indiana 44-26 to put the game out of reach.
Barnes said his mindset shifted early after rookie center Collin Murray-Boyles left the game in the first quarter. Murray-Boyles aggravated a sprained left thumb after taking contact on his hand.
I just do what the game demands of me. Obviously, Collin wasn’t there, so I needed to rebound more, we needed some rim protection. Going where the game demands. I was feeling a little bit like I was going downhill, attacking.
Toronto also got an encouraging first look at Trayce Jackson-Davis, who made his Raptors debut after arriving from Golden State in a trade on Thursday. In just 15 minutes, the 25-year-old center posted 10 points and 10 rebounds and looked comfortable with his new group.
You could see during the game, they’re hyping me up every time I made a play, giving me a lot of confidence, and so I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to be a part of the team. One of the assistant coaches came up to me and said ‘at the end of the day, it’s just basketball, just go out there and play.’ So that’s what I did.
Rajakovic, though, stayed measured.
I don’t want to pass judgment. (…) I just want to let him be. I want to coach him. I want to help him. I want to build him and see where we go. I don’t want to, based on one good game or bad game, to pass any judgment on him. I want to see a chunk of 10 to 15 games and see how he grows with us.
Toronto currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference at 32-22 and will host Detroit on Wednesday in its final game before the All-Star break.
