Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors celebrates defeating the Indiana Pacers during a game on Nov. 26.
Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors celebrates defeating the Indiana Pacers during a game on Nov. 26.
Brandon Ingram followed up his season-high 37 points in a win over Cleveland by draining the game-winner with 0.6 seconds left in a comeback win over Indiana.
The noted bucket-getter, in other words, did precisely what many in the NBA have seen before and yet haven’t been able to see since an ankle injury early last December derailed Ingram’s season.
A healthy Ingram thrown into a Raptors lineup that has shown flashes seemed to be the perfect fit in an Eastern Conference that appeared to be in flux in the wake of injuries to several marquee players.
Detroit has defied the odds, even though the Pistons had been poised to break through following last year’s post-season appearance.
In New York, the impact of a coaching change will only be felt once the playoffs roll around.
There are other storylines that have captured the attention. None, though, can match what Ingram has been able to produce and his presence on a Raptors team that enters a weekend set of back-to-back tips riding a nine-game win streak.
Following the team’s opening-night win in Atlanta, the Raptors lost four in succession. In each defeat, the Raptors were ineffective when matched up against size and Toronto’s defence yielded an average of 130 points.
During this flurry of wins, Toronto’s opposition hasn’t been good, beating three teams that entered the game with one win.
Indiana came into Toronto on Wednesday night winless on the road, yet managed to forge a double-digit lead.
The Pacers play hard and pushed the Raptors to the limit, but the inevitable loss became a reality.
Lost in the win was Toronto’s woeful shooting. It’s not often a team misses 21 shots on 26 heaves from beyond the three-point arc and still emerges with a win. It’s even rarer for a team to shoot 39% overall from the field and still end up winning.
In times of fortune, making the right plays down the stretch often are the deciding factors.
Against the Pacers, the late-game sequence began with a block. It continued with the Raptors not calling a timeout once they controlled possession and ended with Ingram’s pull-up jumper.
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Ingram has been playing as advertised, from an offensive perspective that is.
As long as remains healthy, more nights such as the one he produced against the Cavs and the late-game heroics against the Pacers will continue because his offensive game is that good and that versatile.
What fans of the Raptors must always keep in mind is that success will hinge on the play of Scottie Barnes.
The Raptors haven’t magically turned into championship contenders, but in a weak conference and playing against inferior opposition, a rush to judgment is unavoidable.
Big picture, the team will have to somehow find a way to acquire size and, preferably, some consistent perimeter shooting, to fully enter that territory of legitimate players, at least in the East.
The NBA’s big boys are out West and, as currently constituted, the Raptors do not match up. Following years of losing, no one is about to get that overly concerned.
Barnes only has experienced losing since his rookie season, when his game inspired hope. His current game is evolving, thanks in part to Ingram’s presence.
Combined, the two poured in 50 of Toronto’s 97 points in the two-point win over Indiana.
Remarkably, Barnes converted on all 14 of his trips to the line. He made as many free throws as the entire Pacers team and his game-high 10 rebounds also spoke to his effectiveness on the glass.
In terms of one-two punches, you would be hard-pressed to find a team in the East that features a better tandem than the Barnes-Ingram combo.
As long as health does not conspire against the Raptors, this run might be sustainable. No one is expecting such an extended stretch, but the days of losing appear to be over.
The Raptors will be home for the NBA Cup’s quarterfinals with a date in Las Vegas at stake.
NBA watchers have taken notice of the Raptors, whose profile only will increase if they are able to make it to Sin City, where the Lakers won the inaugural event followed by last year’s Cup win by Milwaukee.
For now, the Raptors’ ability to remain focused will be tested when they next take to the floor Saturday in Charlotte knowing a litmus test tip awaits Sunday in New York against the Knicks as Toronto closes out the November schedule.
The arrival of Ingram and Barnes’ evolving game represent a promising starting point because each has shown they can take over games and, at times, win games.
The key is to add surrounding pieces, namely size and shooting, and hope neither gets injured.
The Raptors aren’t as bad as the team that lost four in a row and were so defensively deficient, but they’re certainly not as good as the team that has strung together nine straight wins against predominantly poor opponents.
Like anything, they are somewhere in the middle.
But they will be a playoff team and securing home court in the opening round is on the table.