Whether it was his one on one matchup with Zion Williamson or simply deciding to take over a game when a game was there for the taking, credit Scottie Barnes for taking his game to another level.
Toronto’s recent run of success hasn’t entirely been a result of Barnes’ improved play, but it never hurts a team when its best player steps up.
Big picture, talk of securing the highest lottery odds in this year’s draft knowing Duke’s Cooper Flagg looms in the horizon can wait.
With March Madness inching closer, the many prospects being bandied about in various NBA mock drafts will be front and centre for everyone to see.
Williamson experienced a one and done season at Duke with RJ Barrett riding shot gun.
Fans in Toronto witnessed Williamson’s explosiveness and athleticism first hand when he poured in a game-high 31 points on 18 attempts from the field, all inside the three-point line.
Trailing by as many 16 points, the visitors stormed back in the third quarter and led heading into the fourth quarter when Barnes raised his game.
Toronto would win the game 113-104 to earn a series sweep of the Pelicans.
The Raptors have reeled off four wins in a row and have posted victories in six of their past seven games in what has inarguably been the best stretch of basketball played under second-year head coach Darko Rajakovic.
A winnable game in Washington awaits Wednesday night followed by another winnable game Friday when Chicago comes to town.
The schedule will then turn difficult with matchups against the likes of the Clippers, Knicks, Grizzlies and the Toronto debut of Toronto’s own Zach Edey, OKC and Houston.
The NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 6 with Chris Boucher, Bruce Brown and Davion Mitchell looming as potential chips given their expiring contracts if the Raptors are presented with offers they can’t turn down.
Almost from the moment he entered the NBA as the first-overall pick, there were questions surrounding Williamson’s conditioning and ability to stay healthy.
When he’s taking his man off the dribble and exploding to the basket like he did Monday night, it’s easy to see why so many pegged Williamson as a franchise player.
The issue has been his sustainability, leading some to believe the Pelicans may part ways with the big man who isn’t exactly your traditional big in the mold of a Jakob Poeltl.
Barnes would key the Raptors’ rally in the fourth period by pouring in 10 of his 21 points.
Toronto took control when it went on a 17-6 run to begin the period.
Those looking to quibble with Barnes’ play could point to the 21 shots he heaved to reach 21 points and the six missed three-pointers on seven attempts.
His supporters would point out the eight assists he recorded, the 11 rebounds he hauled down, the eight free throws he buried on nine trips to the charity stripe and the one turnover he committed.
When the Raptors pivoted to the Barnes era, the goal was and remains to surround him with shooters and players who can best play alongside Barnes.
Immanuel Quickley was thought to be that guy, but he’s been hurt far too often this season and has not played during this stretch of success the Raptors have experienced.
Barrett’s efficiency has worked well with Barnes, despite his shooting struggles from the foul line.
He scored 17 points on 8-for-18 shooting against the Pelicans, had six rebounds and six assists and turned the ball over once.
Poeltl provides that defensive anchor and rim protector every team covets.
He had 21 points en route to recording a double-double in the win.
Toronto is pretty thin on size, which made Tuesday’s announcement that Orlando Robinson had been signed to a second 10-day contract predictable.
Without Quickley, Mitchell has started at the point and has looked the part, particularly on defence.
Brown has worked well with Barnes, but more importantly his presence off the bench has given the team a spark on nights when the starting unit hasn’t been good.
Against New Orleans, Toronto’s reserves combined for 37 points with Boucher leading the way with 14.
In his past three games, Boucher has averaged 18.0 points by going 9-for-17 from beyond the arc.
Barnes needs to launch fewer threes and focus more on his mid-range game, which has been close to unstoppable.
The way he took over the fourth quarter Monday night was an encouraging sign, the kind of play that needs to be repeated.
So much of this season has been focused on the team’s rebuild and securing the best draft odds.
As with any lottery, the NBA’s lottery isn’t a sure thing.
History has shown the highest odds don’t necessarily equate into drafting first overall or selecting among the top-three slots.
Recall the Bulls’ lottery odds pegged at 1.7% in 2008, the ninth-best odds that season.
Chicago would win the lottery and draft homegrown point guard Derrick Rose.
The Bulls defied the odds that season much like Orlando, which had a 1.5% chance to jump from the 11th slot, in 1993.
The Raptors’ four-game win streak is tied with the Knicks and Lakers for the longest in the NBA heading into Tuesday.
Toronto is 6-4 in its past 10 games.
Based on the NBA’s lottery odds, Washington, Utah and New Orleans each have a 14% chance to earn the No. 1 slot.
The Raptors have the sixth-best odds at 9.0% to draft first, 9.2% to draft second followed by 9.4% and 9.6% to draft fourth overall.
At this stage, the odds of Barnes improving are much greater than the team’s chances of getting their hands on Flagg.
Stranger things have happened and there’s no telling what the Raptors will do as Feb. 6 approaches and what kind of roster the club decides to field when the schedule takes an easy turn down the stretch of the season.
For example, Wednesday’s matchup with the Wizards is the first of four.