(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Toronto Raptors weren’t considered a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference ahead of this season.
But even though they lost a key piece in Fred VanVleet and don’t have Nick Nurse leading the way anymore, they’ve been quite impressive to start the campaign.
A lot of that has had to do with Scottie Barnes’ play, as the third-year pro has taken a major leap forward after a somewhat disappointing sophomore season.
That was on full display during Wednesday night’s win over the Phoenix Suns, especially in the fourth quarter.
So, when asked about him taking over late in the game to secure the win, he simply admitted that he ‘has that dog in him’ (Via TSN Sports, ClutchPoints, and Legion Hoops).
Scottie Barnes on his 4th quarter performance tonight:
“I don’t know. I’ve got that dog in me.”
(via @TSN_Sports, h/t @ClutchPoints) pic.twitter.com/7NhNTGdAwi
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 30, 2023
A dog, indeed.
Barnes has taken over as the team’s primary ball-handler, putting the rock on the floor and making everybody around him better.
He’s also made great strides as a defender, making the most of his long arms and wingspan to be a lockdown wing stopper, and his three-point stroke and aggressiveness have also helped him be a much more efficient scorer.
Barnes is currently averaging 19.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 1.9 three-pointers per game — all career highs.
The Raptors are 9-10, which isn’t that impressive, but they’ve dominated championship contenders like the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks.
They seem to be just one piece away from being a legit threat to come out of the East, and even if they don’t make a deep postseason run this year, they could play spoiler to more than one team.
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