Much has been made of the recent surge in the very aggressively, unaggressive defense that Scottie Barnes has faced. Opposing centers line up across from him, and like gunslingers of old, take 10 paces back before engaging in a duel. It was jarring for Barnes, and viewers. With the likes of Myles Turner and Brook Lopez sitting on the opposite end of all the space afforded, it were as if Moses parted the Red Sea and saw the army on the other side, instead of behind him.
Ben Simmons comparisons were made, jokes were made, and that’s fine, but that can only last so long. Barnes, unlike Simmons, will crash headfirst into his limitations in an attempt to soar over them. He’s also a tremendous problem solver on the court. Space = possibility, and Barnes is as creative as they come. He found ways to conquer this defensive scheme, so let’s look at them.
Here’s the baseline appeal from the Raptors point of view: Barnes doesn’t flash any of his outlier skills as a passer here, and he doesn’t do much of anything besides commit to helping his teammates, which is a huge deal. On a play where it seems like all he did was finish, he set a screen to force a switch, made sure to make contact and provide clearance on the ensuing screen, found the pocket as a roller even if he didn’t get the pass, then found the pocket in the dunker spot as Fred VanVleet weaponized his own motion and created a great look. The second play? More screens, more motion, and physicality under the bucket that Aaron Nesmith wasn’t equipped to deal with. All topped off with some nice touch.
When I asked Scottie about this new role, he seemed positive about it: “Seeing it constantly over these last five, six games, just trying to adapt to the role. I have to say I like it, being able to facilitate the offense, moving it side to side, being able to go downhill, attacking the rim. I like it. Just trying to move the ball and get a start for the offense.”
Not every young star would buy in this way, and while we’ll highlight more of Barnes’ star-like plays in a bit, it’s his willingness to wheel-grease for everyone else that makes this viable.
“It’s a good spot for him. Obviously, with the group that we’ve got he can do a lot of different things but if they’re gonna sag off him, just being able to play next action and let him playmake from there versus having him bring the ball up and try to organize the offense.” VanVleet said of Barnes being utilized in this position. “He’s already catching it in a playmaking position, that short roll, 17-feet. He’s a great passer, knows the reads and he’s been setting good screens and just making plays.”
I asked Barnes if he’s enjoyed being more involved as a screener in addition to the bump in decision making: “Yeah, just being able to set them. I feel like a lot of times we lift out of the way without really setting them. That’s the good thing about being a good teammate, trying to set screens for other people, being able for them to get their shots off of screens. I try to take pride in screening so other people can get open.”
In the 36 games prior to the Pacers game, the Raptors had 10 performances where their halfcourt offense was above league average — via Cleaning The Glass, which takes points per play in the halfcourt, and references it against every teams offense in the NBA — and from the Indiana game onwards, the Raptors have been above average in four out of five. The only game where they weren’t was against the Bucks, and while the team didn’t necessarily figure things out, Barnes definitely did.
Over these past 5 games — 2 wins, 3 losses — the Raptors are +21 with Barnes on the floor, and while his raw numbers have only been marginally better than his season averages, his regular 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio is at 5-to-1 in this stretch. Barnes has always had a tremendous sense of how offense should be run. However, in his young NBA career he doesn’t have the ball skills or scoring skills to shoulder being a primary initiator at the NBA level, which will probably come at some point. In this role, the Raptors get to put the ball in his hands a lot, and his enormous size becomes a blockade for defenders chasing his teammates. His touches have gone up during this stretch, the touch time has gone down, and yes, he’s still scoring more. Less reliance on his handle, his burst, and more reliance on his size, vision, and rapid decision making.
As you can see, there’s some awkwardness to begin, and it’s saved by Pascal Siakam running an NFL caliber route to break some ankles and hit a shot, and another quick trigger three. But, Barnes pretty quickly figures out that he can open up space with quick decisions and lots of screening.
“I think just a little more decisive, you know what I mean? Going from one side to the other, not staying on the same side with his actions, just having a better idea that he’s going to get off it a little, you know, quicker decisions and that’s really like something we’ve been talking about.” Nick Nurse said after the Charlotte win, of Barnes’ improvements in this role, and how he continues to provide value for them. “It’s time to make a play. It’s take the shot. It’s drive it to the rim or it’s get it to the next action. It’s not dribble it in the same spot or hold it in the same spot and think and look and just take the next action to keep it going.”
And here’s where the Raptors get to be a little more creative. A pet set to get Barnes a disguised screen (so they don’t go under at the POA) and they know they’re playing deep drop against him, so no help coming, and that opens up a massive lob for Achiuwa on the weak side. Great play, great pass. Next up, Barnes is as composed as a 15 year vet as he crab dribbles in the lane, keeps help defense at bay, and slowly lulls Turner under the bucket before leaping into action for a finish. Awesome.
The rest of this article is paywalled, as is all of my writing at RR. For further analysis on Scottie Barnes, and the team as a whole: please consider subscribing. Before that though, we’ll kill the Ben Simmons comparisons.
In what was one of Barnes’ finest closing performances of his career, he poured in 19 points in the 4th quarter and overtime against the stalwart defense of the Bucks. Taking the oppressive space between he and Brook Lopez, and turning it into a runway of opportunity.
Lopez playing so deep off of him allows opportunities to create momentum as a cutter off of Siakam and VanVleet. It also, of course, gives Barnes a lot of freedom and momentum to work his way into spots against Lopez. This is a real DPOY level player who looms larger than most defenders in the world, and Barnes eventually found the mettle to challenge him over and over and win. His combination of fearlessness, odd pick-up points, brash physicality, and extendo-arm finishes with great touch, saw him take down Goliath. Barnes is the largest David you’ve ever seen, sure, but he is definitely the smaller of the two.
When the ball reaches Barnes’ hands, he has a great idea of how he wants the play to unfold and the Raptors are wise to follow his blueprint. But, when his teammates want to follow their whims, he becomes the conduit for their imagination. Delay action can easily become an opportunity for him to score, but his teammates appreciate that Barnes will play ball on give and go’s, ‘get’ actions, and any other type of play you can involve him in.
Barnes has obvious chops and potential in isolation, pick n’ roll ball handling, and myriad other styles of creation. This role isn’t to pigeon-hole him as Domantas Sabonis’ heir-apparent. It’s to say, he can be a facsimile of Sabonis when he so chooses. A very powerful thing, to emulate stars, and different ones, depending on the game situation. A problem was presented in front of Barnes, and a solution was found.
I asked Nick Nurse if there’s more value to mine from these situations with Barnes: “Yes, I think there is. I think there is some room to play through him and get some more cutting things like that going. Yeah.” More diversity for the Raptors offense, and more diversity for Barnes’ game as he continues the slow crawl towards stardom.
Have a blessed day.
