Raptors' Barnes shows he can be 'one of the best defenders in this league'

TORONTO — Scottie Barnes got down in a stance and squared up chest to chest with Kevin Durant.

It was basketball body language that on Barnes’ part translated to: “I’m here, and I’m going to challenge you.”

It was early in the first quarter Sunday and Durant — arguably the most lethal scorer in NBA history — seemed unbothered.

He’s seen this kind of thing and everything else many times in a 17-year career that earlier this season saw him become just the eighth player to score more than 30,000 points in the NBA. His career scoring average is 27.3 points per game — sixth all-time — and given he came into Sunday’s game averaging 27.2 points a game, he’s showing no signs of slowing down at age 36.

So when Barnes stepped up, the Phoenix Suns star simply strung him out sideways for a few dribbles before rubbing Barnes off a screen and pulling up effortlessly for an 18-footer that looked as easy as an uncontested lay-up for him.

It was his Durant’s first shot, first make, and if form was going to hold, there would be more to come.

But Durant’s night didn’t unfold the way it normally does. Instead of a series of easy looks, he was hit by a lot of heavy traffic, a lot of it initiated and directed by Barnes. The Raptors star was the first line of defence and helped Toronto hold Durant to just 15 points — his second-lowest total of the season — on 5-of-15 shooting and 0-of-5 from three in what ended up being a 127-109 win for the home side.

For Barnes, matching up with Durant was another opportunity to prove what he’s long believed.

“I think I'm a high-level defender, one of the best defenders in this league,” Barnes told me after the game. “I'm able to be able to guard multiple positions, switch, give the ball pressure because I move really well for my size and I’m out there reading things."

And as for matching up with Durant?

“I was excited, going up against an all-time great, future Hall of Famer, we know the things that KD can do out there on the floor,” said Barnes. “He can score at all three levels, so I’m just super-excited (and) ready for that matchup. I love that. He’s a competitor as well, and I love to compete.”

Ultimately, the difference in the game was the Raptors' ball movement and red-hot shooting.

Toronto caught fire in the final frame as the Raptors went a perfect 8-of-8 from the three-point line to turn a what was a six-point lead after three quarters and a two-point game with five minutes to play into a laugher. In a span of 3:30, the Raptors hit seven threes, including three straight from RJ Barrett (23 points, six rebounds, seven assists) to close out a 22-6 run.

For the game, the Raptors shot 20-of-35 from three for a season-best 57-per-cent showing, the 20 being the second-most from three this season. It helped them rack up 30 assists as eight players finished with at least two helpers.

The Raptors' scoring was spread around, too: Immanuel Quickley and Chris Boucher joined Barrett in each scoring 23 points. Quickley added eight assists and two steals while shooting 7-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-7 from deep, while Boucher was 9-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-5 from deep while adding 10 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench. Barnes finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists on 8-of-14 shooting, including two triples on three attempts.

Meanwhile, the Suns, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, shot just 7-of-28 from deep as they lost for the eighth time in their last 10 starts to fall to 27-30 for the season. They stand 11th in the West, despite a league-leading $366-million payroll. 

Part of the reason the Raptors (18-39) could benefit from their torrid shooting was because they were able to contain Durant. Toronto was fine with co-stars Devin Booker (31 points) and Bradley Beal (30 points) going off, but wanted to keep Durant from joining them. They were successful.

The Suns star had just two points on two field-goal attempts in 11 fourth-quarter minutes. For the game, Durant was just 1-of-8 with Barnes as the primary defender, his only field goal the jumper he scored in the early moments of the first quarter.

Barnes' game plan was to simply play to his own abilities: his rare combination of strength, length and size combined with a playmaking instinct on the defensive end.

“I move really well for my size. With my size and the way I’m able to move, I’m able to get into his body,” said Barnes. “You let (Durant) dance (with the ball), you’re gonna be on a highlight reel, so try and take that away, get into his body and not let him get the ball and try to contest his shot as best as possible. He shoots it really high, so it’s hard to get to, but you do that and try to not let him get the ball most of the game.”

Durant couldn’t help but notice. 

“They did a great job as a team, denying me, doubling me, even doubling me when I didn’t have the ball sometimes,” Durant said. “Scottie is really good in that scheme, he’s long and athletic. I usually get guarded by the whole team, but they did a great job of playing hard in that scheme and making it tough on me. I think that’s why we lost, I didn’t make enough shots tonight.”

The Raptors have been on a roll defensively in the new year. Since Jan. 12, the Raptors are 10-8 and ranked seventh in defensive rating, allowing 111 points per 100 possessions. On Jan. 11, they stood 28th in the league in defensive efficiency, allowing 117.8 points per game.

There are plenty of reasons for that kind of turnaround, but Barnes' defensive play is one of them, or at least Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic thinks so and wants the world to know.

“I think it says (a lot) about media. It says a lot about (the) public that is not recognizing this kid is one of the most elite defensive players in the league. I don't think that he's getting enough credit for how diverse he's defensively, and what he's doing defensively for us as a team,” said Rajakovic. “Maybe that has something to do with our record. But if you have eyes and if you're watching the game, you see that this guy is elite.”

Barnes believes it too, which might be half the battle. It’s hard to go chest-to-chest with the best scorers in the game as a shrinking violet, and the fourth-year Raptors star is not that.

“I think I'm just a natural star defender,” Barnes said. “I'm trying to read everything out there on the floor, I'm making my own little game plan, similar to what Draymond (Green, Golden State Warriors star) does, just seeing things and adjusting on the fly and the coaches are doing a great job of allowing me to do that, because they know how smart I am on defence.

“I’ve been watching KD since I was a kid. You see the things he does, so you have to prepare for him. He’s a tough matchup.”

But for one night at least, the Raptors, led by Barnes, were very much able to contain him.