On Monday, in what will ultimately go down as a meaningless exhibition game, the Toronto Raptors’ preseason opener was anything but that to rookie Scottie Barnes.
From the moment the Raptors took the court, to the final buzzer, Barnes brought his patented energy and infectious personality to Scotiabank Arena. It resulted in an all-around strong performance by the fourth overall pick in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Barnes earned the start on Monday, producing 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocked shots in 25 minutes of work. He converted on 6-of-10 shot attempts from the field and finished a game-high plus-19 on the court.
“I just try to bring it every single day,” Barnes said after the game. “Of course, energy is contagious where it travels across the room so I just try to bring it every single day and be happy and motivate.”
Scottie Barnes is already making PLAYS 🔥#NBARooks x #NBAPreseason pic.twitter.com/CPeQMTYU6z
— NBA (@NBA) October 4, 2021
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse previously said Barnes would log heavy minutes this season and the preseason opener offered a glimpse of what he can bring on a nightly basis. It is clear his energy and effort can be felt by his teammates and that will ultimately go a long way this season.
With the team back in Toronto for the first time since February 2020, the Raptors were able to feed plenty off the crowd. They also got a nice boost of energy from Barnes, and that will likely fuel them all season long as long as he is in the arena.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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