The Toronto Raptors had an impressive Thursday night as they took down the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 126 to 113 victory. Toronto stayed in control for most of the game and never looked shaky.
Scottie Barnes was the clear highlight of the night. According to StatMuse, no Raptors player had ever recorded the combination of numbers he put up in this game. Barnes finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 blocks, making it one of the most complete performances in team history.
Barnes has a reputation for producing rare stat lines, mainly because of his length, speed and growing skill set. He arrived in the NBA known for his strong defense thanks to his long arms and quick feet. The bigger question early on was whether he could become a reliable offensive player.
This season, he is proving that he can. Barnes is scoring with confidence, improving as a shooter and creating plays for others with ease.
The Raptors are still working on putting all their talent together, but wins against strong teams like Cleveland help show what this group is capable of. And with Barnes performing at this level, Toronto becomes a very difficult team to beat.