Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse on Friday explained how rookie Scottie Barnes has improved throughout the season to be a consistent contributor to the team.
Barnes has proven to be one of the top first-year players this season and is in the mix to win Rookie of the Year. He was viewed as one of the most versatile players in the rookie class and has shown that ability on a nightly basis this season.
The Raptors have often implored Barnes to stay aggressive since the team typically performs better when he is attacking on offense and getting others involved. It is something that the team has stayed on him about but is an area Barnes is improving in, Nurse said.
We’ve kinda talked about that all season long is just get aggressive, make sure you take some shot attempts, make sure you try to get it to the front of the rim and make sure you do it consistently. I think he has done a pretty good job of that. He has played a little bit more physical here in the second half of the season, which is a good sign. I would say he has learned that he, when has a chance to, has to take it instead of sitting back and moving it and hoping it comes back around to him again.
Barnes, in 69 games, has played an integral role for the Raptors.
The fourth pick is averaging 15.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals on 49.1% shooting from the field. He ranks third in scoring and rebounding, while he has the third-most 20-point games (17) among rookie players.
Starting every game as a rookie is a bit rare, especially on a playoff team like the Raptors. The team initially wasn’t sure if Barnes could score on a consistent level to remain a starter, but Nurse and the Raptors are comfortable with his progression.
I think what we thought we had was a versatile guy who can play both ends and can do a little bit of everything. The concern was: Was he going to be enough of a scorer at the NBA level? He historically never put up big-scoring numbers. I would say he looks like he can score pretty adequately for a 20-year-old and that is growing. His perimeter game is growing and all of those things. I think that was probably the biggest question mark. I’m not saying it has been answered but it looks like it’s trending in the right direction.
The rookie campaign by Barnes has certainly earned plenty of attention and that should result in some accolades at the end of the season for him. He has seemingly impressed his team and several of his peers along the way and that should only increase the more he develops on the court.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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