The Toronto Raptors’ current win streak hit four games following their 103-101 win on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. It was Raptors star Scottie Barnes who helped seal the win with a clutch block on Thunder big man Chet Holmgren in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter.
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With the Raptors ahead by two, 101-99, and about 30 seconds left in the game, Chet Holmgren attempted to tie the game up with a step-back midrange jumper. Instead, Scottie Barnes stuck with him and rose up to block the shot and gained a massive defensive stop for the Raptors.
Barnes finished the game with a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds, He was two assists short of a triple double, dishing out eight assists. He also added one steal, and his block on Holmgren was one of three blocked shots he had on the night. Barnes shot 3-of-8 from the field and 0-of-2 from the 3-point line, but he was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
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With the win, the Raptors improved to 29-19, and upped their lead on the New York Knicks to half a game for the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are now only a half game back themselves of the Boston Celtics for the No. 2 spot in the East.
Meanwhile, Barnes has emerged as a legitimate star for the Raptors, making the case to be selected to his second career NBA All-Star appearance. He’s appeared in 46 of the Raptors’ 48 games this season, at a little over 34 minutes per game.
Barnes has been averaging 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.4 blocked shots with splits of 50.1 percent shooting from the field, 31.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 82.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line. His rebounds tie a career-high, and his field goal percentage and free-throw percentage are both career-bests.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Barnes was selected to his first All-Star appearance during the 2023-24 season.