Barnes frustrated by officiating after career-high 41 points in Raptors loss
The Toronto Raptors star set a personal best with 41 points but was unhappy with only three free-throw attempts in a 121-114 defeat.
ORLANDO · Scottie Barnes scored a career-high 41 points but the Toronto Raptors fell 121-114 to the Orlando Magic in an NBA Cup game on Friday. The star forward expressed frustration with the officiating after receiving just three free-throw attempts in the loss. Barnes's performance tied him with DeMar DeRozan for fourth-most games with at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists in franchise history. The Magic improved to 2-3 on the season while the Raptors dropped to 3-2. This was the first NBA Cup game for both teams.
Barnes admitted the individual milestone meant little to him after the defeat. "Right now, no. I think I’ve got to let some time go by," Barnes said, according to John Chidley-Hill of The Canadian Press. He finished the game shooting 19 for 34 from the field, adding five rebounds, five assists and two steals. The 25-year-old believed his aggressive offensive approach warranted more trips to the foul line. "Definitely think I could have got to the free-throw line more," Barnes said. He made two of his three free-throw attempts, meaning 39 of his 41 points came from the field.
What did the Raptors coach say about the officiating?
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic shared Barnes's concerns about the free-throw disparity. Rajakovic questioned how a player could score 41 points and receive only three free-throw attempts, especially given the physical nature of the contest. The coach described the disparity as unfair, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Toronto attempted 15 free throws as a team compared to Orlando's 29, with the Magic converting 25 of their opportunities. Rajakovic argued that both teams played forcefully and believed the officials should have applied the same standards to both sides. Barnes's comments surface following Toronto's disappointing start to NBA Cup competition.
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How did Orlando secure the win?
The Orlando Magic shot 53 per cent from three-point range, making 18 of their 34 attempts from beyond the arc. Desmond Bane led the Magic with 28 points, including six three-pointers, going six for 12 from beyond the arc. Franz Wagner added 26 points and 11 assists, while Anthony Black also had a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists. The Raptors briefly drew within two points in the fourth quarter after a Jamison Battle layup with 6:07 left, but Orlando responded with a quick 5-0 run to re-establish control. The Magic bounced back from a lopsided 129-99 loss to Toronto just two days earlier.
What other contributions did the Raptors have?
Immanuel Quickley had 17 points with eight assists and six rebounds for Toronto. Starting centre Jakob Poeltl had his best game of the season with 12 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, a significant improvement over his season averages of 2.8 points and 4.5 rebounds entering the game. Kawhi Leonard missed the game due to left knee swelling, with rookie Ja’Kobe Walter scoring nine points in his place. Barnes's 41-point outing marked a remarkable turnaround from an Oct. 25 loss to Minnesota where he failed to score despite 12 field goal attempts. He followed that with 28 points against Orlando on Wednesday before surpassing his previous career high of 35 points during Friday's rematch. The Raptors will now begin a four-game road trip, travelling to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Sunday and the Clippers on Monday. Orlando will host the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon. Garbutt Disposal reported in October that Barnes scored a career-high 41 points in a previous loss to the Magic where Orlando shot 53 per cent from three-point range.
With files from The Canadian Press and The Globe and Mail