OKC Thunder Giddy among special rookie performances in week 9

No. 1 – Scottie Barnes – Toronto Raptors

In week nine Scottie Barnes made a statement in his three matches. Even the loss to the Nets found him posting up Kevin Durant and scoring over him like he’d been doing it for years.

In fact, his best game came versus Brooklyn with him registering a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds (seven offensive boards), plus five assists. He hit three of his five 3-point attempts and made things interesting by almost hitting the final logo 3-pointer attempting to win the game.

In three games he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks. Barnes shot 53.8 percent from the field (on 13 field goal attempts), 44.4 percent from the perimeter on 3.0 attempts, and upped his trips to the charity stripe averaging 6.6 per game (connecting on 4.4 or 73.7 percent).

Rookie category rankings:

• Offensive rebounds: 3.0 – first
• Field Goals Made: 6.3 – first
• Minutes per game: 36.1 – first
• Rebounds: 8.3 – tied first (Mobley)
• Points: 15.6 – tied first (Cunningham)
• Double-Doubles: five (tied with Cunningham  -second of elite five)
• Blocks: 1.0  – second
• Steals: 1.1 – third
• Assists: 3.4 – fifth
• Turnovers: 1.9 – fifth
• Field goal percent: 49.5% (first of elite five)
• 3-point field goal percent: 35.6% (second of elite five)

This past week it was like a light bulb went off and he realized how his size, athleticism, and speed give him a decided benefit over most defenders.  That translated in Barnes going at smaller (and even lengthier opponents like KD).

A new Nick Nurse tweak witnessed Barnes playing with a bench unit orchestrating the playmaking and either functioning as the primary or secondary scorer.

Like the OKC Thunder rookie Josh Giddey, Barnes displays a high I.Q. and is creative with his playmaking. The former is on display in the following clip as the Raptors pulled a Warriors-like ball movement set but it’s Barnes who keys the action. After scoring far too easily in the paint the Dubs collapse on the Raptors rookie (he literally draws all five Warrior defenders to him).

That one move opens up two great 3-point shooters and while Fred VanVleet could’ve taken the shot he makes one more pass to Yuta Watanabe. Although Barnes collected six assists in this match he could’ve easily hit double-digits but for some blown layups and misses by teammates who he set up for wide-open shots.

Although OG Anunoby finally returned after missing 13 games, he’s back out again as week 10 brought an omicron rage to the Raptors wiping out eight players (including all five starters and Barnes).

I’ve been eager to witness the combination of Barnes, Anunoby, and Siakam together in Nurse’s system. Now we’ll have to wait even longer.

All the Raptors are vaccinated and most had received boosters so it’s hard to know how this will impact Barnes or his teammates (Siakam and VanVleet had COVID last year).