"A big reason for optimism in general? The Raptors All-Star, Barnes. He began the second half by stealing an entry pass to Siakam. Rotating over to block Nembhard at the rim. Finishing at the rim on the break. And finally, finding Ingram for a layup. He even had a big, and-1 drop step dunk over Furphy for good measure. In fact, the two All-Stars, Siakam and Barnes, were trading buckets to kick things off. My turn, your turn type stuff."
"Big forwards winding and creating towards the bucket. Good hoops. Only, Barnes' scoring was bolstered by some outside shooting from Barrett and Quickley. It was one of the better stretches of the season for Barnes on the offensive side of the floor. A big burst of energy to start the second half for the Raptors. He vaulted them out in front and helped carry them through a massive 44-26 third quarter performance."
"Before we begin, it's important to remember that the Raptors opened the season as one of the NBA's worst defenses. They were embodying the catch phrases from training camp and preseason. They were, aside from the Portland Trailblazers - who were at the very forefront of all the ball pressure - the NBA's number one ball pressure team. They chased and overextended. To quote Bilbo Baggins, they were: thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread."
Scottie Barnes produced a decisive second-half lift with steals, blocks, finishes at the rim, and a highlight drop-step dunk, fueling a 44-26 third quarter surge. Barnes and Pascal Siakam traded baskets as both big forwards created toward the hoop, while outside shooting from Barrett and Quickley amplified the offensive burst. Barnes moved past Siakam into fifth on Toronto's all-time double-doubles list with 103. The Raptors began the season struggling defensively due to aggressive, overextended ball pressure that allowed downhill drives and transition breakdowns. The team is adjusting to apply pressure more selectively and smarter.
Read at Raptors Republic
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