Insights for Toronto as Scottie Barnes celebrates career night in Victory over Pacers

Toronto Raptors 122, Indiana Pacers 111

Turns out the Raptors aren’t that bad.

Maybe that’s a good thing. It’s definitely good for the organization to see so many players step up their game and exceed expectations early this season. If Toronto’s four contributing rookies could all develop into reliable role players for the Raptors, that would be an amazing thing. If the other role players continue like they did at the beginning of the year, that would be a good sign for the future.

But the idea that Toronto will be one of the worst teams in the league and end up somewhere near the top of the NBA draft lottery this spring is looking less and less realistic.

The Raptors are at least proving to be competitive even as they continue to battle injuries to four rotation players early in the year. On Tuesday they showed that they are also figuring out how to finish games.

After watching their 24 points all but disappear in the third quarter, Toronto managed just enough late in the fourth quarter to sneak past Indiana thanks to a career night from Scottie Barnes and a 29-point performance from RJ Barrett.

Tuesday’s victory over a Pacers team that reached the Eastern Conference finals last year moved Toronto to 6-4 at home this season and 5-6 in games played while Scottie Barnes was healthy. That means the Raptors edged out the Charlotte Hornets in the reverse rankings, and Toronto is closer to a playoff spot in the East than the worst record in the NBA.

The problem with tanking, if you will, is that Barnes is just too good.

His return to the Raptors has completely changed the face of this team and has Toronto playing at a different level. The Raptors play faster, are stronger defensively and are better organized offensively when Barnes is on the court. He constantly gets early chances for Toronto thanks to his rare combination of speed and size.

“More size opens up perspective, the ability to shoot over people, the ability to finish in crowds,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of the 6-foot-10 Barnes, who will handle point guard duties in Immanuel Quickley’s absence took over for Toronto. “He has photographed the three of them well over the last few years. And so you have to take care of those three, then the drives, and then everything else.”

Barnes’ three-point shooting had faltered a bit so far this year, but the 23-year-old hit an early pull-up jumper in the first quarter to set the tone for the evening. He converted three three-pointers and finished the night with a career-high 35 points to go, nine assists and five rebounds.

In the second quarter, Barnes drove at Siakam, nudged Siakam with his shoulder and then rose to fire a 13-footer over the former All-NBA forward. He later darted from court to court in six seconds to convert a layup.

Indiana mounted a comeback late in the third after two 3-pointers from Tyrese Haliburton, but Barnes got right back at it, beat Siakam off the dribble and finished with contact to put Toronto back within 15. After the play, Barnes smiled at Siakam and stretched his biceps in Siakam’s face.

It was a nearly flawless performance from Barnes, who beat Siakam with a driving pass late in the fourth period to give the Raptors an eight-point lead with three minutes left. Barnes’ tireless effort forced Siakam into difficult situations throughout the night, which ultimately led to Siakam receiving a technical foul in the final minute on Tuesday and being eliminated.

As long as Barnes is on the court, Toronto should at least be adequate. If Barnes is healthy and the Raptors are content to fight for a play-in spot this year, maybe that isn’t such a bad thing.

Things might not be quite so nice on Thursday when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder come to town for a 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff at Scotiabank Arena.