theuncleiroh | Raptors

210 | 10 hours ago

1 ft in 33 min, 20 2pt attempts, almost all of which were contested paint shots. TJD, otoh, got 10ft in 16 min on 4 attempts.

If Scottie ever gets his all-star whistle, he’ll be a 25ppg player. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like he will ever get that

PlumCantaloupe | Raptors

53 | 10 hours ago

He got it once for a couple of games after his first all-star appearance. It was glorious (if short-lived).

Rezrov_ | Raptors

23 | 9 hours ago

1 and1 on 20 attempts when they were basically all at the basket through contact is nuts.

Stocks king don’t care though 💪.

YoWeBall | Pacers

21 | 7 hours ago

As a Pacer fan I’ve always felt our whistle is one of the worst in the league and playoff stats the last two seasons support the claim

Watching this game Toronto is just as bad lol there were so many missed calls in the 3rd for Scottie he should have had 10 fta in the quarter alone. If Scottie doesn’t make all-defense and at least discussed for all-nba this year it’s purely market bias the dude is balling tf out this year

theuncleiroh | Raptors

3 | 5 hours ago

Yeah, Toronto has always had a horrifying whistle. Pascal has too, so it’s not surprising to find out it followed him.

Scottie is a guy that I do want to do better at actually making the whistle happen (without getting down when it inevitably doesn’t), so while I’m constantly feeling he’s getting a bad whistle, I usually also think he’s gotta force it better. Tonight he did force it and got nothing, so I don’t really know what to say lol

Realistically his style is closer to Giannis than it is anyone else imo, even if he’s very lacking when it comes to his athleticism and forcefulness (imo he’s also a much more natural player on offense and defense, but so much less capable of regularly taking the game over as to make it hard to say so). But while guys like Scottie and LeBron get refs to swallow the whistle to account for their incredible strength, Giannis seems to get a great call, so I dunno. Atp I just want him to play like this every night, since he’s capable of it, and to force the refs to give him 1fta while he attacks the paint all night (even with his attempts, it hardly felt like he was forcing it at all)

Chief_White_Halfoat | Raptors

3 | 4 hours ago

I feel like Toronto having a horrifying whistle is overstated. Demar got a great whistle when he was here, his top three seasons with FTA attempts are in Toronto even though some of his best PPG seasons are with Chicago but his FTA were lower there. Chris Bosh finished in the top five for FTA/G five seasons in a row as Raptor as well.

I think it’s more a style of play issue with Scottie than it is him playing with the Raptors. Bosh was incredible at getting a step on his defender from the elbow (and then flailing wildly once they tried to stop him) and Demar obviously is incredibly shifty and gets his defenders in the air constantly. Both excellently effective methods of getting FTs.

He’s less Giannis and more KG sometimes. Incredible defense, capable of but not always looking to be dominant offensively, and KG never racked up FTAs either.

Chief_White_Halfoat | Raptors

5 | 9 hours ago

I think unfortunately part of it is that the weakest part of his game tends to be getting around the defender, he goes up strong but through which gets less calls then getting a half step in front which is what the free throw merchants always manage to do. Either that or you need a Demar like pump fake.

He probably deserves some more calls, but that’s a cause of him not generally.

TJD managed to get ten fta in fifteen minutes so we probably can’t blame the refs hating the Raptors either.

gregbraaa

151 | 11 hours ago

Caz add he’s got to 150 steals + blocks

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/blocks-plus-steals-leaders-this-season

Derpy_Mc_Burpy

111 | 10 hours ago

how is he not considered a dpoy candidate with those stats? Genuine question

GOULFYBUTT | Raptors

93 | 9 hours ago

I know this is a typical Raptors fan talking point, but there is some truth to it. American media (which is 99% of NBA coverage) doesn’t really cover the Raptors.

We don’t get many nationally televised games, our players are rarely in talks that they belong in or are snubbed (ex. BI All-Star this year), and even when we’re on our way to win a championship, all of the focus is on the Warriors.

Just look at Siakam, Powell, and Anunoby. Once they left Toronto, they all got way more coverage and are involved in way more awards conversations.

To be fair, Norm is far better now than he was with us, but OG got thrown into All-Defense conversations as soon as he left Toronto despite Raptors fans saying he belonged there for years. And Siakam was the most underrated player in the league for years while in Toronto. He goes to Indiana and he’s finally getting his flowers.

Obviously, these narrative changes are a bit more nuanced than just being in Toronto or not… But it certainly plays a part.

Luckily, Scottie is just so damn likeable and so fucking good that he’s breaking through that barrier a little bit. He should still be in DPOY conversations more than he is, but he’ll get there. For a while it was so frustrating to see him playing at such a high level and all anyone would say about him was jokes about him being autistic.

SCOTTIE DPOY PLEASE AND THANK YOU (or at least All-Defense)

the-g-off | Toronto Huskies

26 | 8 hours ago

Not surprising.

Anercia is extremely xenophobic and thrives on division and the myth of American exceptionalism.

Icy-Action2121

5 | 8 hours ago

I would argue that when America has been successful, it’s thrived on cultural diversity and multicultural excellence…thus, it does not thrive on division. This is just false.

the-g-off | Toronto Huskies

2 | 5 hours ago

This is true, but America is not successful right now, and the powers that be are thriving due to the division that is happening.

Oldest rule in the book. Want to conquer a nation? Divide the nation. We are watching that play out in real time.

Icy-Action2121

2 | 4 hours ago

OK, I see what you’re saying. It just wasn’t initially clear.

huskywolfproblems

2 | 7 hours ago

Didn’t Pascal win All NBA twice as a Raptor?

GOULFYBUTT | Raptors

8 | 7 hours ago

Yes, but that alone doesn’t negate everything else I said. There are certainly exceptions.

Chief_White_Halfoat | Raptors

2 | 4 hours ago

You realize that OG made all-defense with the Raptors but he didn’t with the Knicks last year right? OG even had votes for DPOY the year he made all-defense but he didn’t get any last year either and he played in 74 games so it wasn’t a missed games thing.

And Siakam made all-nba twice with the Raptors but he didn’t make it with the Pacer’s last year. He wasn’t even considered really. He only got more coverage once they were deep in the playoffs and in the Finals (which make perfect sense).

And this really is Scottie’s first true breakout season. His first all-star season he really had a great start and then really really tailed off, and obviously last year was rough. There are three guys ahead of him. One is Wemby which like yeah obviously (and Spurs are third defensively), another is Gobert who has won DPOY four times, and maybe shouldn’t be ahead of Scottie at this point but he’s obviously, and another is Chet which is because OKC has the league’s best defense by a decent margin and he’s the guy getting rewarded cause there’s not best collective defense team award.

He’s fourth in the odds right now and I suspect honestly that he’s going to finish higher than that. Also Scottie won ROY, it’s hard to say we don’t get rewarded when the guy you’re talking about was in his first season

gregbraaa

30 | 10 hours ago

He should definitely be top 3 in voting imo. He’s one of a handful of versatile 1-5 POA defenders and is 90% the shot blocker of the elite 7 foot centers. His struggles are getting blown by fast slashers and too much double teaming leaving players open.

Bitter_Procedure260

1 | 8 hours ago

Because Wemby exists. Barnes is in the conversation though.

dsbllr

1 | 6 hours ago

Because Wemby. I’m a Raptors fan but thinking he’s better than Wemby on the defensive end of just naive.

Have you seen how players literally leave the paint the minute Wemby is there?

MaximumestBob | Raptors

70 | 10 hours ago

He’s so fucking good

He’s made such a massive leap from last season if you watch the games. His overall decision making and touch is there. Some of that improvement might just be also having a competent team for the most part.

bryscoon | Celtics

37 | 9 hours ago

He’s the most underrated player in the league

FallenCrownz

3 | 6 hours ago

he creates so much open 3s, we just never fucking hit them

SlickVanExel | Hornets

62 | 10 hours ago

What a unique player, what a unique person

ToronoRapture

36 | 11 hours ago

Remember when they said his ceiling is Draymond lol

MWiatrak2077 | Pistons

16 | 10 hours ago

I don’t like Draymond but I don’t think that’s an insult

AffectionateDark9270

29 | 10 hours ago

Not on defense but on offense its an insult.

Team_Ed | Raptors

-1 | 6 hours ago

Man, prime Draymond’s offence was excellent.

ToronoRapture

14 | 10 hours ago

Kinda is considering the player he is becoming.

onefootback | Raptors

5 | 9 hours ago

not really, he’s nothing like draymond offensively

MWiatrak2077 | Pistons

3 | 10 hours ago

I mean maybe. But prime Draymond was averaging 14/10/7/2/1 on 59% TS while winning DPOY and making Second Team All-NBA.

Scottie’s potential is crazy, but Dray’s ceiling was very high

ihatedougford | Toronto Huskies

11 | 9 hours ago

I’m sorry you’re being downvoted for a good take. Prime Draymond was a beast. Scottie is def much better offensively and they’re not the same type of player but the comparison wasn’t crazy considering the little things both guys do so well to impact the game

Team_Ed | Raptors

2 | 6 hours ago

Draymond is at worst the second best defensive player if his generation while also being in his prime a central piece in arguably the greatest offense in league history.

That ceiling is really fucking high, man.

DrFlyAnarcho

-5 | 9 hours ago

Draymond locked down the other teams best players at the most crucial moments in the playoffs during a dynasty run, and brought on offense when needed. Ex is the strip of Jokic to end the game vs DEN during the playoffs. Barnes is not that player.

f3ndrb3ndr

30 | 11 hours ago

Dude genuinely found consistent confidence and just realized he’s a monster finally. It was frustrating to watch him for years playing so passive

hickok3 | Raptors

11 | 10 hours ago

Unfortunately it’s still not consistant yet. It’s getting better, but he still has passive games way too often. The Wolves game was a good example of this. It didn’t help that the entire team played like they were going to give up a big lead in the 4th, in the process of doing so.

smoothsoul23 | Raptors

24 | 10 hours ago

Turned the game around in 3rd on both ends.

ChessHistory

0 | 5 hours ago

Is this that impressive when the Pacers are actively tanking though

yidii-at-night | Raptors

6 | 5 hours ago

Players on the floor aren’t tanking. Siakam, Nembhard, Nesmith, McConnell etc isn’t a tanking lineup (and they were out there matched up with Scottie today)

bigraptorr | Raptors

22 | 11 hours ago

Put him in the allstar game

CazOnReddit | Raptors

22 | 11 hours ago

All-NBA 2nd Team*

theuncleiroh | Raptors

12 | 10 hours ago

Put him in the all-NBA game !!

heat_fan_ | Raptors

14 | 11 hours ago

Absolutely tore it up in the 3rd

CazOnReddit | Raptors

7 | 11 hours ago

Scottie must have mistaken the 3rd quarter for the 4th today

OverallMistake8198 | Raptors

14 | 9 hours ago

Scottie is so much fun man

CaskJeeves | Raptors

4 | 7 hours ago

I hope he stays a Raptor for life

OverallMistake8198 | Raptors

1 | 4 hours ago

If he isn’t i’ll be so sad man

Franii | Raptors

9 | 9 hours ago

Another dpoy performance

Desertsprinter | Raptors

6 | 11 hours ago

He was blocking everything lmao

Scottie Barnes dominates Superbowl Sunday in a decisive win against the Indiana Pacers: 25/14/6 with 2 steals and 4 blocks