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Barnes has shot just 20% from the field in three games and isn't looking like himself at all.
Published Oct 16, 2025 • Last updated 7 minutes ago • 3 minute read
Raptors Boston 1015
Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles downcourt against the Boston Celtics during the preseason game at TD Garden on October 15, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Maddie Meyer /Getty Images
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The Toronto Raptors finally got (most) of the band back together on Wednesday night in Boston, playing all five projected starters for the first time in five games. It was also the first time since
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March 4 that Jakob Poeltl (who made his pre-season debut on his 30th birthday), Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley all suited up for the Raptors. Newcomer Brandon Ingram led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
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Here are some takeaways from another close game where the Raptors once again leaned on youth to mount a big comeback, only to fall by two points on a basket in the final seconds after Jamison Battle had tied the game with a three-pointer:
TOO EARLY TO PANIC?
Much like with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with the Blue Jays, all eyes first go to Barnes when it comes to the Raptors. More is expected of Barnes than anyone else because of his contract, rookie of the year and all-star accolades and sheer talent level.
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So Barnes will have to manage far better than the 20% he’s shot from the floor, which includes seven three-point misses without one going in. He got up 13 shots Wednesday after totalling only 17 in his two other appearances, but they still weren’t the most ideal types of shots. Barnes has length, strength and athleticism advantages over many opponents, but is settling for fade-aways and pull-up shots instead of really going at them. He looked oddly passive in this one, without his usual burst.
The first-year version of Barnes looked like a man-child on offence. In Year 3 he bounced back from a sophomore slump with an all-star berth and looked to be on the way to proving he was the franchise player the Raptors believed him to be. But last season was a mixed bag and was again one marred by injuries.
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This is a huge season for Barnes, and though he does many other things well, he has to get his scoring game in gear for the Raptors to succeed.
SPACING LOOKS LIKE AN ISSUE
It will be interesting to see how the Raptors make a bit of an old-school starting lineup work offensively. Most teams prioritize shooting these days and don’t pair two big men who either don’t shoot three-pointers at all (Poeltl), or struggle mightily from behind the arc (Barnes).
Adding Ingram (assuming he gets up seven-eight threes a night) and getting Quickley back (especially if he stays with his aim of nine or 10 triples attempted) helps, but since the other member of the fivesome, RJ Barrett, is a streaky outside shooter, it means many opponents will key on Ingram and Quickley and give the other three plenty of space. That will make it tough for the team to get good spacing as defenders stay back and clog up the middle of the floor.
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We saw it early on against the Celtics, and keep in mind this might be as bad as the spacing looks with them all year given this was Poeltl’s first reps with the group besides practice pre-injury. Still, even when they are all used to each other, the issue will remain.
Even though Sandro Mamukelashvili has struggled mightily with his three-point shooting in the pre-season and went 1-for-5 Wednesday, he shot 37% from out there last season and teams respect his range. When he came on the floor Barnes seemed to look more comfortable offensively. And that was even with Ingram and Quickley subbed out (though Ochai Agbaji is a good shooter and was with them too).
RAMPING IT UP
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic had limited Ingram’s minutes in his first two exhibitions, but with the regular season looming, it appears to be time to move closer to the real plans.
Ingram got 32 minutes of work, 10 more than he’d averaged so far, and seems to be settling in just fine.
Poeltl understandably was held to 20 minutes, Gradey Dick didn’t play due to back spasms and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles remains sidelined with a right elbow injury.
The pre-season concludes Friday at Toronto when Brooklyn, expected to be one of the NBA’s worst clubs, visits.
@WolstatSun
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