TORONTO – Scottie Barnes is, theoretically, an influence forward. But 73 games into the Toronto Raptors season, he’s played prolonged time at every position.
Against the Recent Orleans Pelicans on Friday it was time to play point guard with regular starter Immanuel Quickley out with plantar facitiis in his right foot. Barnes excelled within the role with 23 points, 12 assists and 6 rebounds as Toronto rolled to a 119-106 victory.
“I’m just waiting for the day when Scottie is gonna tell me, ‘Coach, this is just too much I’ve been asking you to do,’” joked Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. “Play three, play 4, play point guard, play five.
“Go guard the purpose guard, go guard the five. He’s just going to do the whole lot that he must do to assist our team and to win the sport.”
Barnes had greater than 10 assists for a 3rd consecutive game, a profession high. It was also his career-best twenty seventh double-double of the season, surpassing the 26 he had last campaign.
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“It doesn’t matter where I should be on the ground, I’m just going to try to do what I can to try to win the sport,” said Barnes. “Whatever it’s, start line guard, guarding the five, playing point, playing forward.”
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The 2-time all star also had two steals and three blocks in 36:29 of playing time as Rajakovic rested all of his starters with somewhat over two minutes left to play.
Rajakovic said that although the six-foot-eight Barnes’s size makes him a forward, he’s got a playmaker’s instincts.
“He’s a pass-first player. He likes to maneuver, to pass, he likes to seek out his teammates. He is outstanding in transition,” said Rajakovic. “We were getting stops early in the sport, and he was really pushing the ball in transition and all he does is scanning the ground.
“It really allows him, together with his size and his athletic ability, to play excessive of the defence.”
Second-year player Ja’Kobe Walter began in Quickley’s place. He was one in all 4 Raptors who scored 18 points, and he doled out 4 assists with Barnes bearing the playmaking load.
Each Barnes and Rajakovic had high praise for Walter’s efforts.
“His shooting is just something that we want on our team,” said Barnes of Walter, who went 6-for-14 on field-goal attempts and 4-for-10 on three-pointers. “He’s been on fire. Every shot he takes it looks prefer it’s moving into.
“Sometimes we get in these situations where we’re not making shots, but we will count on him to find a way to play defence and make shots.”
Rajakovic said that Walter has been making an impact for the Raptors in two ways.
“He did a very good job defensively, pressuring the ball. He really set a tone on (Pelicans guard) Jeremiah Fears tonight and he’s shooting the ball rather well,” said Rajakovic. “He’s good on the market for us and the entire team trusts him.
“He plays so hard so there is just not much you may object to when he plays that onerous.”
Rookie centre Collin Murray-Boyles left the sport early with back spasms. He finished with nine points and two rebounds.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press