Dynamic at times and dependable, the Raptors are being fueled by the two.
When it comes to offence, Ingram is indispensable.
When it comes to an overall presence, Barnes is irreplaceable.
But who is more valuable to the Raptors? Flip a coin.
A case can be made that both Barnes and Ingram should be in the all-star conversation.
One of the few knocks on each player involves turnovers. As an example, in Thursday night’s win over the host Bucks, Barnes committed five.
One can argue both players can be more aggressive in attacking the rim, forcing officials to make calls that put Barnes or Ingram on the free-throw line. In the first half in Milwaukee, no Raptor attempted a free throw.
Playing through contact or when the whistle goes against a player is part of the process, which demands them to continue to play through whatever issue befalls them on that particular night.
Occasionally, frustration has gotten the better of Barnes and Ingram, but to their credit each has shown an ability to persevere.
By the time the NBA calendar flips to January, it’s possible — perhaps even likely — the Raptors will be a 20-win team, something so few imagined when the season began.
No can forecast an injury, no one realistically expects the Raptors to be near the top of the conference standings, but no one thought the Barnes-Ingram tandem would be this good.
What makes this duo so good is its versatility. For Barnes, it’s his defence, for Ingram, it’s his offence.
In his past four games heading into the Boston tip, Ingram has gone 16-for-25 from beyond the three-point arc. But during the same stretch, he has turned the ball over a combined 15 times.
He led the Raptors in Milwaukee by scoring 29 points, while Barnes needed 14 shots to score 24 points in Toronto’s win, the very definition of efficiency.
The 75th NBA all-star game will take place Feb. 15 in L.A. at Intuit Dome, home of the free-falling Clippers.
The league is unveiling a new format featuring three teams — two made up of U.S. players and one international roster known as the World Team.
The teams will compete in a round-robin tournament consisting of four 12-minute games with each roster carrying a minimum of eight players.
Barnes and Ingram are inextricably linked to Toronto’s success. Without each, under no circumstance would the Raptors be on the cusp of winning 20 games.
Chances are both won’t be in L.A. as an all-star game participant, but their play up to this point does warrant consideration.
In 2024, Barnes was named an all-star injury replacement by commissioner Adam Silver.
In his first season with New Orleans following his trade from the Lakers, Ingram became a first-time all-star and was named NBA most improved player in 2020.
The Raptors are much improved thanks to Ingram and Barnes leading the way.