Barnes leads Raptors past Wizards for first 2-0 start since 2019
Scottie Barnes had 28 points and 14 rebounds as Toronto held off Washington despite inconsistent shooting.
WASHINGTON · The Toronto Raptors improved to 2-0 on the season after defeating the Washington Wizards 112-102 at Capital One Arena on Friday night. Scottie Barnes led the way with 28 points and 14 rebounds, while RJ Barrett added 23 points and Kawhi Leonard scored 16. The victory marks Toronto's first 2-0 start since the 2019 championship season. The Raptors forced 23 Washington turnovers, building on a strong defensive performance in their season opener. Despite the final margin, the Raptors' performance was far from perfect, with inconsistent three-point shooting and communication issues. Toronto built an early 34-21 lead after the first quarter but committed six turnovers in the opening frame. The Wizards closed within a point in the third quarter after a 9-0 run, but the Raptors managed to hold a slim 81-77 lead heading into the fourth.
Barnes and Barrett provided consistent offence throughout the night, with Barrett also grabbing nine rebounds and Leonard adding eight. Trae Young led Washington with 22 points and 12 assists, and Tre Johnson scored 20. Anthony Davis was held to nine points on 3-for-12 shooting for the Wizards. Toronto dominated the interior, leading 18-6 on the offensive glass and outscoring Washington 52-32 in the paint.
Foul trouble became a concern for Toronto, with Leonard, Immanuel Quickley and Colin Murray-Boyles each picking up their third personal foul in the first half. The Raptors' communication lapses allowed Young to hit back-to-back wide-open three-pointers in the second quarter, cutting Toronto's lead to eight and forcing a timeout from coach Darko Rajaković. A scoring run from Ja'Kobe Walter, Barnes and Leonard helped rebuild the advantage to 13 points late in the half. Toronto's three-point shooting was a major concern, as the team went just 1-for-12 from beyond the arc in the third quarter. Jamison Battle finally connected from deep with 12 seconds left in the period to keep the Wizards within four points. Quickley provided an early spark in the fourth quarter with a tough floater, and Leonard followed with a three-pointer to help Toronto maintain its lead.
Barnes briefly left the game in the fourth quarter after appearing to hold his knee, but he returned to action shortly after. The Wizards knocked down back-to-back three-pointers late to keep the pressure on, but the Raptors did enough to secure the road win. Garbutt Disposal reported in October that the Wizards ruled rookie AJ Dybantsa out for the game with a left ankle sprain. Up next: The Raptors travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
With files from Raptors HQ, Yahoo Sports and theScore