Scottie Barnes has spent most of his NBA career punishing teams at the rim, and the early numbers this season show a noticeable shift in where he’s taking his shots. Through the opening stretch, he has launched 19 mid-range attempts compared with 15 tries in the restricted area. As The Athletic’s Es Baraheni noted, Barnes “has made just 3 shots at the rim in the halfcourt for the Raptors (not including offensive rebounds).”
That doesn’t mean the Raptors want him drifting away from his strength. Barnes has been a reliable finisher from the start of his career, shooting at least 64% in the restricted area in each of his first five seasons.
In 2024-25, he also took more total shots in the paint than in the restricted area for the only time in his career so far. The mid-range touch is clearly developing, but Toronto still needs the pressure he creates at the basket.
With his size and strength, he can be overwhelming going downhill, and the Raptors need that kind of rim threat just as much as they need better spacing.
Darko Rajakovic said the shot mix has been shaped in part by what opponents are giving Barnes. When Baraheni asked him about it at practice, he said, “We also dealt with a little bit of different schemes from teams, especially Washington.
They really allowed him and invited him to shoot a lot of mid-range shots, and he was very efficient shooting those shots. There’s always talking about what is that balance, right?
We do need Scottie to live in the paint and then to score at the rim, and he just needs to put an emphasis on that game.”
Rajakovic also pointed out that Barnes’s value goes beyond scoring. Even when the lane isn’t there for him, he can use his playmaking to create for Jakob Poeltl, Collin Murray-Boyles, or Toronto’s 3-point shooters.
The start to the season has been productive, if not explosive. Barnes is averaging 17 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1 block, and 2 steals through three games, which is solid but not yet the kind of jump Raptors fans are waiting for.
He opened with 20 points in a blowout win over the Chicago Bulls, then followed that with a monster line of 28 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in a 10-point win against the Washington Wizards. The only stain in that game was eight turnovers.
Then came the roughest night so far. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Barnes went 0-for-12 from the field and was unusually quiet with just three rebounds and three assists. It was a tough showing, especially with the Raptors playing their first game of the season without Kawhi Leonard.
Barnes will need to help carry Toronto over the next few games.
In Other News...
Raptors-Magic Suddenly Looks Very Different After New Injury News
What had looked like a straightforward Raptors-Magic matchup has quickly taken on a very different feel after the latest injury updates. Toronto will be without Kawhi Leonard for several weeks because of right knee inflammation, leaving a significant hole in the lineup and altering the way the team will have to approach the stretch ahead.
Orlando is dealing with its own setbacks, with Paolo Banchero expected out for 4-6 weeks because of a right high ankle sprain and Jalen Suggs sidelined for two games with a right knee bone bruise. Anthony Black, who had been listed as questionable, has been cleared to play, giving the Magic at least one more available body as both teams adjust to a suddenly thinner game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Face An Early Test As Injuries Raise The Stakes
The Raptors head into their matchup with Orlando still sorting through the offensive issues that showed up in the loss to Minnesota, where Scottie Barnes had a particularly rough night. Toronto needs more from its young centerpiece, especially in terms of aggressiveness and playmaking, and this stretch against the Magic offers a chance to reset before the seasons early frustrations settle in.
Orlando comes in dealing with its own injury problems, with Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs both sidelined, which changes the look of the game even if the challenge remains real. For Toronto, that only adds to the importance of handling business against a depleted opponent, because the Raptors can use a clean offensive performance just as much as they need a result. [Read more 🡒]
Allen Graves Is Giving The Raptors Something They Desperately Need
Allen Graves has barely had time to settle into an NBA rhythm, but the early returns have been exactly the kind Toronto has been searching for. Through his first three games, he has made an impact in limited minutes with steady defense, active rebounding and enough overall presence to hint at a bigger role if he keeps stacking these shifts.
The appeal goes beyond the box score, because the Raptors have been looking for more help in an area that has lagged so far this season. Graves brings a defensive profile that already stands out, and if his 3-point shot keeps coming along, it could make him even more valuable to a team that has leaned heavily on Jamison Battle, JaKobe Walter and Immanuel Quickley from deep. [Read more 🡒]