The Toronto Raptors got the better of one of their division rivals Tuesday night. Against the reigning NBA champions Boston Celtics, Scottie Barnes and the Raps took care of business at home and defeated the C’s to the tune of a 119-118 score.
Barnes showed that he is indeed in top form heading into the 2024-25 NBA regular season with a stellar performance against the Celtics. The former Florida State Seminole star torched Boston for 26 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds in 30 minutes of action. He could have finished the contest with a triple-double had Toronto let him play more minutes.
Via Eric Koreen of The Athletic:
Scottie Barnes falls one rebound shy of a preseason triple-double. Will he forgive Darko Rajakovic for pulling him?
The Toronto Raptors will rely a lot on Scottie Barnes in the 2024-25 season
Nevertheless, it was a spectacular showing from Barnes, who will be heavily leaned upon by Toronto in the coming season.
Barnes just signed a five-year contract extension worth $224.9 million over the summer and is coming off his best season so far in his NBA career. Last season, Barnes posted career-highs in points (19.9 PPG), rebounds (8.2 RPG), and assists (6.1 APG) while posting a career-best 52.8 effective field goal percentage.
The 23-year-old Barnes has shown the capability to contribute in different areas. He will have plenty of chances for a triple-double in more meaningful games in the coming season – or perhaps this Friday when the Raptors play their preseason finale against the Brooklyn Nets on the road.
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