Tough night for Raptors against Knicks, but Scottie Barnes shows his mettle

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In the aftermath of Wednesday’s pulsating win over Kevin Durant and the visiting Phoenix Suns, Scottie Barnes was asked why he was able to elevate his game in the fourth quarter.

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“I don’t know. I’ve got that dog in me,” he replied.

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Interestingly, it was well-known NBA nuisance/antagonist Patrick Beverley who suggested recently that Toronto’s roster doesn’t have a “dog” on the team. In other words, the Raptors lack the necessary toughness to scare anyone this season.

“Who’s the dog of that team?” said the 35-year-old Sixers guard on his podcast.

In some ways, the veteran is right. Beverley is an old-school player who has never been afraid, shy, reluctant, pick whatever word, to get under one’s skin. At times, he has crossed the line.

Toughness in today’s NBA is measured by mental focus and preparation, especially in crunch time with the game in doubt. The days of Charles Oakley are long gone.

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Toronto’s opponent Friday night, the New York Knicks, have that mental toughness in the form of Jalen Brunson. He is not known for being physically tough, though he’ll never back down from any challenge. Being tough is one thing, but being smart and judicious with the basketball will always prevail.

It doesn’t hurt when there’s talent, as Brunson showed with his team-high 22 points in a 119-106 beatdown of the Raptors.

Barnes’ talent, however, should be made pretty clear by now to anyone watching the Raptors.  There’s a physical edge to his game when he is posting up a smaller defender and resorts to bully ball.

As for the mental toughness, he is evolving. But without him, the Raptors are tough to watch. When Barnes, who made his first seven shots from the field, got his first breather in Friday’s first quarter, the Raptors were up by six. When he returned, the Raptors were trailing by three points.

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He finished with a game-high 29 points, to go with nine boards, single-handedly keeping the Raptors from going deeper into a hole that stretched to double digits.

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Predictably, the Raptors were inconsistent, unable to convert in the paint and from the line.

In the first quarter, the Raptors recorded an assist on all of their 10 baskets, but still trailed because the Knicks protected the rock and scored 20 of their 34 points in the paint.

The Raptors reached the 20-game mark Friday with many more to be played and just as many questions that must be answered. But the evidence continues to mount that everything should be done to build around Barnes.

When Barnes and Pascal Siakam are playing well, the Raptors are capable of being competent.

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However, the surrounding pieces, outside of OG Anunoby, make it virtually impossible for this group to be consistently good.

Yet to be determined is whether Barnes can sustain his level of play. Without him, the Raptors can’t even be described as merely average.

New York entered the night having beaten visiting Detroit on Thursday as the Pistons ended the month by going 0-for-November.

Brunson’s toughness and ability to make plays down the stretch, coupled with coach Tom Thibodeau extracting every ounce out of the Knicks last season allowed New York to win 45 games and claim the No. 5 seed in the East. The Knicks beat No. 4 seed Cleveland in five games and then lost to eventual NBA finalist Miami in the second round.

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New York isn’t the most talented team, but it does play a team-first style led by Brunson.

Barnes doesn’t handle the ball like Brunson because he’s not a pure point guard.

He can’t shoot the ball like Brunson, but Barnes has size on his hand and an improving game that allows him to play inside and out.

In time, Barnes might even develop Brunson’s mental toughness.

Having seen Barnes take over Wednesday’s game against the Suns in the fourth quarter, the Knicks paid extra attention when he ventured into the paint.

He went the length of the floor on one possession and finished at the rim with his left hand, prompting Thibodeau to call a timeout with his team leading by 12 points.

The Knicks continue to search for that true No. 1 option, an elusive piece that has haunted this heritage franchise for decades.

Fourth quarters such as Wednesday and Friday’s game provide further evidence that Barnes has the toughness to shoulder a franchise. But he’ll need help. When none is summoned, games such as Friday become inevitable.

Brunson’s 22 points led the Knicks, who went 16-of-36 from distance, while the Raptors made just six of their 32 attempts.

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