Raptors' Scottie Barnes has a brutal opening night in one-sided loss to Cavaliers
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The best part of Scottie Barnes’ night, his first in front of the home faithful in a regular-season game since March 1, played out in the moments leading up to the first ball getting tossed.
As is customary on opening night at Scotiabank Arena, a member of the Raptors organization is asked to take the microphone and address the crowd. With the franchise celebrating its 30th anniversary on Wednesday, it was Barnes’ turn to take the mic.
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Raptors' Scottie Barnes has a brutal opening night in one-sided loss to Cavaliers Back to video
“What’s up Toronto? We’re so excited to be back,” he said, flashing an authentic smile and looking quite dapper wearing the team’s iconic purple colours. “On behalf of my teammates to be in front of the best fans in the league. Let’s go!”
Then the game began.
It’s too bad they actually had to play a game on a night when Damon Stoudamire, the first franchise face, was feted at mid-court during a timeout. Then came Jerome Williams’ turn to bask in the glory, his time in Toronto celebrated as he stood along the baseline tossing souvenir balls into the stands.
It was a night of nostalgia but ultimately one of defeat — the first of many for both this celebratory season — as Barnes’ smile would turn into a frown following a 136-106 pasting to the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavs threw different bodies at Barnes, went with a zone against him in the opening half, and frustrated a player upon whom so much will be riding on as the Raptors try to move forward from the remnants of last year’s 25-win season.
Barnes’ first basket came on an out-of-bounds play when Cleveland’s defence was non-existent, and a skip pass to Chris Boucher highlighted his court vision.
With only 0.6 seconds remaining in the first quarter, he committed his first foul. It was on the perimeter while trying to guard Donovan Mitchell, making contact on the follow-through as the Cavs star was putting up a shot at the buzzer.
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After the game’s opening 12 minutes, the Raptors — without three rotation players in RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown — were competitive in trailing only 33-32.
But the Cavs, despite Darius Garland getting into early foul trouble, had too much size.
The game began to turn in the second quarter, as did Barnes, whose frustration seemed to mount with every miss and foul. The way the first half closed out encapsulated his frustrating evening. When he had his shot blocked, the Cavs pitched the ball ahead and scored on an uncontested basket. The Cavs then parlayed one of his turnovers into another bucket and, by the break, were comfortably ahead, 69-49, the game basically out of reach.
Toronto scored just 17 second-quarter points with only Gradey Dick and Immanuel Quickley generating any kind of offence. Quickley, meanwhile, headed back to the locker room after being undercut by Garland while attempting to haul down a rebound and didn’t return.
Barnes picked up three first-half fouls in the first half and had his fourth barely two minutes into the second. But without Quickley, whose night officially ended because of a right pelvic contusion, the ball was in Barnes’ hands more often. At times, he forced his shot and too often hit iron. The Raptors star wound up with a meagre nine points on the night.
no doubt, he’ll have to find a way to get used to nights such as Wednesday when playing a superior opponent knowing the Raptors bench is suspect, the team’s perimeter shooting dubious and the lack of size will only amount to more lopsided results.
Anniversary seasons are nice and they do provide some uplifting moments when players come to town to relive the past. When Stoudamire was interviewed at halftime, his adoration of Toronto was sincere. When T.J. Ford, another point guard who wasn’t in the same category of Mighty Mouse, was introduced mid-way through the third period, he flashed an appreciative smile.
But at some point, as the losses pile up, these 30th anniversary celebrations will get tiresome. In some way, they will divert attention from the on-court product, which figures to only marginally improve once all of the pieces are healthy and in sync.
The Raptors’ futility on this night extended to the head coach as well. When Dick got hacked going to the basket, no foul was called. Darko Rajakovic called a timeout looking to have the play reviewed. Unfortunately, challenges are not permitted on a non-call. One game in and the second-year head coach already had egg on his face.
No one was expecting a Raptors win against a quality opponent such as Cleveland. Expectations may have been raised the way the Raptors began the night by playing solid defence, while picking up the pace on offence and making shots. But neither was sustainable.
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There were some signs of encouragement, but the biggest theme involved Barnes. He’s been anointed the face of the franchise, but on opening night did not look the part. In 26 total minutes, Barnes was a staggering minus-33, picking up more fouls (5) than makes (3). He was 3-for-14 shooting, misfiring on both three-point attempts and his first two free throws.
He did bury both of his shots from the charity stripe with 45.6 seconds left in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 101-77.
But on Cleveland’s ensuing possession, Barnes picked up his fifth foul, prompting a timeout and another Raptors coaching challenge.
No surprisingly, the call was upheld and the Raptors were out of challenges on a sequence that pretty much summed up this lost night.
fzicarelli@postmedia.com
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