The Toronto Raptors weren’t able to come away with the win in a hard-fought game against the New York Knicks that pitted 2019 No. 3 pick RJ Barrett against his former team.
Raptors Franchise Star Scottie Barnes Receives Injury Update After Knicks Loss
However, if there was a silver lining, it was that 2021 No. 4 pick Scottie Barnes appears to have escaped the matchup without a major injury. About an hour before Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic revealed that the x-rays on his right ankle came back “negative,” Barnes was writhing on the court.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic says Scottie Barnes tweaked his ankle.
X- rays negative. Will see how he feels tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/noLBXFCFGs
— Toronto Star Sports (@StarSports) December 10, 2024
After attempting to block a layup by Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, the big man appeared to land on his right foot. The contact was incidental but it still crippled Toronto’s ability to take down New York. Barnes shares his spotlight with Barrett now. Regardless of whether he’s on a tag team or riding solo though, he’s considered their best player.
— Toronto (@torroonto) December 10, 2024
In fact, Barnes’s injury was a significant factor in the Raptors mustering just 47 points in the second half after scoring 61 points in the first half.
Barrett did as much as he could, putting up 13 of his 30 points in the final two quarters. Nonetheless, the Toronto native was the only player who could consistently create for himself. Though Barnes didn’t set the nets on fire in the first half, his guard skills and scoring tools were needed when the Raptors were trying to close the Knicks out.
How Much Time Will He Miss?
Looking at Toronto’s schedule, Barnes will only have two days to rest if he’s hoping not to miss any time. Given that the imaging looks clean, he could very well be good to go. However, it’s possible that the Raptors hold him out a bit longer for precautionary reasons.
With that being said, if Barnes misses their next game, Toronto doesn’t play again until Dec. 16. That could be just enough time for him and the team to feel comfortable with his return. Hopefully it will be, as Toronto hasn’t been able to play him and Barrett together much since the pivotal Dec. 30 trade. In fact, they’ve only been active at the same time for 34 games.
There’s plenty to like about how well they complement each other. Still, it’s difficult for the Raptors to evaluate their core when the biggest pieces are rarely on the floor together. For a rebuilding team that might be getting ready to add another top-10 pick next season, that’s far from ideal.
