One big flaw. Scottie Barnes needs fix to become a Raptors franchise player.
The first three quarters of Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes’ performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder was nothing short of spectacular, as he was having a tremendous defensive game while also putting up 19 points. In the fourth quarter and overtime, the fun just stopped coming for all involved.
Barnes made just one of his final three shots in the fourth quarter and double-overtime, which Barnes played almost in their entirety. Toronto blew a 23-point lead and pulled up the rear with a tough road loss. Even with the quality of the opponent, the way this team lost is brutal for a squad that has now dropped 11 of 13 games.
Barnes’ first few weeks as the main man in Toronto have been met with more positives than negatives, but the late-game struggles against OKC showed that he has one big flaw that is preventing him from fully taking that leap from “promising fringe All-Star” to “franchise cornerstone.”
Scottie can be a bit too pass-happy, especially down the stretch of close games. He shouldn’t stop passing, as that is part of what makes him such a great talent. However, Toronto needs to see him be a bit more assertive and willing to lead the charge in the fourth quarter. That mentality would do wonders for Barnes as a player.
