Scottie Barnes Continues to Wow, Outdoing Orlando's Jalen Suggs in Battle of Rookies

Toronto Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes can't be stopped by the Orlando Magic in battle of rookies vs. Jalen Suggs

Allow yourself to dream. It’s OK. That’s what sports are all about. Faith. Belief. Hope.

At this point, there’s no future that seems unrealistic for Scottie Barnes. There’s no career path that seems unachievable for the Toronto Raptors rookie. He’s responded to every challenge so far, checked every box. Is he a superstar right now, today? No. But after another career night on Friday, his second 20-plus performance in his first six games, everything is on the table.

Barnes played as if he had something to prove. It was impossible not to fall into the pre-game narrative of Barnes vs. the man Toronto passed on to select Barnes in last July's Draft, Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs. Even Barnes knew it coming into the game, though maybe that was our fault for asking him about it Thursday afternoon. Yet he didn’t let it faze him, as he led Toronto to a 110-109 victory Friday night in Scotiabank Arena

Suggs certainly played his part in the drummed-up rivalry, recovering from a slow start with eight points in the fourth quarter and a nearly-game saving block on OG Anunoby. He even converted a four-point play to keep Orlando alive as Raptors fans let "Scottie's Better" chants reign down. But that new Gary Trent Jr. pesky defense saved the day for the Raptors. He poked away an inbound pass to Cole Anthony as time expired to clinch the victory.

"That's a big-time play at the right time when we needed it and he’s been a pleasant surprise in that area," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of Trent. "He's improved at it and made it his thing, which is great."

The 20-year-old Barnes got to work early against Orlando, nailing a 16-foot jumper, a 19-footer, and 32-footer, his second NBA three-pointer.

"They obviously game planned to kind of let him have those shots and he just kept kind of taking them one after another. I love it," Nurse said.

Barnes did what Nurse has been asking for lately. He didn’t sit back and wait for passing lanes to open up as his scouting report would suggest, instead he attacked, getting to his new favorite spot in the mid-range just in front of the rim before rising up to let it fly.

“[Nick has] just been on me every day trying to tell me to attack the rim, be more physical, drive with aggression and just try to get those looks,” Barnes said earlier in the week.

Barnes scored 19 points in the first half alone with his highlight of the night coming on a Greek Freakish end-to-end slam dunk he recorded in just three dribbles.

Took Scottie Barnes three dribbles for the full-court slam 🤯 @brhoops pic.twitter.com/g0dbH552HW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 29, 2021

"You see the things he does on the floor. It's incredible, how he's dunking in transition, how he's finding guys, playing defense. He's doing everything for us, helping us get these wins," Trent said.

Barnes finished the night with nine rebounds and 21 points, tying his rookie counterpart Suggs who finished with 21 points, four assists, and two rebounds.

Raptors Vets Turn It On Late

After watching the rookie carry the team in the first half, Toronto’s veterans got to work in late. OG Anunoby single-handedly went on an 8-0 run, helping to turn a two-point Magic lead into a double-digit Raptors lead in the fourth quarter. For Fred VanVleet, a 16-point fourth quarter helped erase a disastrous 1-9 start to the game.

GTJ Tough Shot Taker, Tough Shot Maker

For better or for worse, everything Gary Trent Jr. does looks way too difficult. He’s the classic tough shot taker and while it certainly works for him sometimes, taking tough shots is a very scary place to live. Against Orlando, though, he repeatedly nailed step-back, off-balanced jumpers, the kind he’s made a living taking, but also the kind the Raptors would like to see fewer of.

“I think we really want him to be more of a catch-and-shoot guy because I think those opportunities will be there for him. He is a pretty good one-on-one player. He’s gonna get his chances at those, too, but those have to come at the right time, too,” Nurse said prior to Friday’s game. “Those haven’t always come at the right time with him, but I think that’s cleaning up a little bit as well.”

Dalano Sticks in Rotation

The Raptors appear to have settled on a new rotation with Dalano Banton leading the charge off the bench. For the second game in a row, Banton, Birch, and Boucher, the Canadian trio, all checked in early, while Goran Dragic wasn’t heard from at all.

Nurse went so far as to close the game with Banton in over Precious Achiuwa who struggled for much of the night.

Dalano Banton has tied Bruno Caboclo on the Raptors' all-time scoring list.

— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) October 30, 2021

Up Next: Indiana Pacers

The Raptors are hitting the road for a quick turnaround Saturday night as they head to Indiana to take on the Pacers for the second time in three games. The game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET.