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Within the aftermath of Wednesday’s pulsating win over Kevin Durant and the visiting Phoenix Suns, Scottie Barnes was requested why he was capable of elevate his sport within the fourth quarter.
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“I don’t know. I’ve bought that canine in me,” he replied.
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Curiously, it was well-known NBA nuisance/antagonist Patrick Beverley who steered not too long ago that Toronto’s roster doesn’t have a “canine” on the group. In different phrases, the Raptors lack the required toughness to scare anybody this season.
“Who’s the canine of that group?” stated the 35-year-old Sixers guard on his podcast.
In some methods, the veteran is true. Beverley is an old-school participant who has by no means been afraid, shy, reluctant, decide no matter phrase, to get beneath one’s pores and skin. At occasions, he has crossed the road.
Toughness in right now’s NBA is measured by psychological focus and preparation, particularly in crunch time with the sport unsure. The times of Charles Oakley are lengthy gone.
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Toronto’s opponent Friday night time, the New York Knicks, have that psychological toughness within the type of Jalen Brunson. He isn’t identified for being bodily powerful, although he’ll by no means again down from any problem. Being powerful is one factor, however being sensible and considered with the basketball will all the time prevail.
It doesn’t harm when there’s expertise, as Brunson confirmed along with his team-high 22 factors in a 119-106 beatdown of the Raptors.
Barnes’ expertise, nonetheless, must be made fairly clear by now to anybody watching the Raptors. There’s a bodily edge to his sport when he’s posting up a smaller defender and resorts to bully ball.
As for the psychological toughness, he’s evolving. However with out him, the Raptors are powerful to observe. When Barnes, who made his first seven pictures from the sector, bought his first breather in Friday’s first quarter, the Raptors had been up by six. When he returned, the Raptors had been trailing by three factors.
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He completed with a game-high 29 factors, to go together with 9 boards, single-handedly protecting the Raptors from going deeper right into a gap that stretched to double digits.
Predictably, the Raptors had been inconsistent, unable to transform within the paint and from the road.
Within the first quarter, the Raptors recorded an help on all of their 10 baskets, however nonetheless trailed as a result of the Knicks protected the rock and scored 20 of their 34 factors within the paint.
The Raptors reached the 20-game mark Friday with many extra to be performed and simply as many questions that should be answered. However the proof continues to mount that the whole lot must be executed to construct round Barnes.
When Barnes and Pascal Siakam are taking part in effectively, the Raptors are able to being competent.
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Nevertheless, the encompassing items, exterior of OG Anunoby, make it nearly unattainable for this group to be persistently good.
But to be decided is whether or not Barnes can maintain his degree of play. With out him, the Raptors can’t even be described as merely common.
New York entered the night time having crushed visiting Detroit on Thursday because the Pistons ended the month by going 0-for-November.
Brunson’s toughness and skill to make performs down the stretch, coupled with coach Tom Thibodeau extracting each ounce out of the Knicks final season allowed New York to win 45 video games and declare the No. 5 seed within the East. The Knicks beat No. 4 seed Cleveland in 5 video games after which misplaced to eventual NBA finalist Miami within the second spherical.
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New York isn’t essentially the most proficient group, nevertheless it does play a team-first fashion led by Brunson.
Barnes doesn’t deal with the ball like Brunson as a result of he’s not a pure level guard.
He can’t shoot the ball like Brunson, however Barnes has measurement on his hand and an bettering sport that enables him to play in and out.
In time, Barnes would possibly even develop Brunson’s psychological toughness.
Having seen Barnes take over Wednesday’s sport in opposition to the Suns within the fourth quarter, the Knicks paid additional consideration when he ventured into the paint.
He went the size of the ground on one possession and completed on the rim along with his left hand, prompting Thibodeau to name a timeout along with his group main by 12 factors.
The Knicks proceed to seek for that true No. 1 possibility, an elusive piece that has haunted this heritage franchise for many years.
Fourth quarters corresponding to Wednesday and Friday’s sport present additional proof that Barnes has the toughness to shoulder a franchise. However he’ll need assistance. When none is summoned, video games corresponding to Friday turn into inevitable.
Brunson’s 22 factors led the Knicks, who went 16-of-36 from distance, whereas the Raptors made simply six of their 32 makes an attempt.
fzicarelli@postmedia.com
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