The thrilling finish to the first of four All-Star Games on Sunday turned the Raptors members against each other.
Scottie Barnes and the USA Stars won 47-21 in the finale of the 2026 NBA All-Star Game against Brandon Ingram and the USA Stripes. In the most competitive All-Star Game in years, players were fighting to win the four separate games and come out on top to represent their country.
Stars like Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, and Kawhi Leonard were the best players for their respective teams, with the superstar guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves winning the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP Award. While head coach Darko Rajakovic’s Team World failed to reach the finals, Ingram and Barnes showcased their incredible ability that has led the Toronto Raptors to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference to this point.
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) | © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
In the first game (USA Stars vs. World), Barnes put on a show to help lead his team to an overtime win against his head coach. Down 3-2 (first to five wins in overtime), Barnes hit a three-pointer to win the game over the outstretched arm of a rotating Wembanyama. The superstar center from the San Antonio Spurs, who was the first to initiate relentless defense and aggressive competition, was visibly upset after losing the first game of the series.
After the event had concluded, Rajakovic caught up with the media, where they asked him about his feelings when his superstar player hit the game-winner to beat his team.
“Bittersweet,” said Rajakovic. “ I lost the game, but really happy for Scottie for knocking down that big shot.”
While NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has made his fair share of changes throughout his tenure at the helm, especially in the format of the All-Star Game, his idea to have foreign players compete against the Americans turned out to be a brilliant display of basketball. It’s no secret that players give everything they have when competing in the Olympics or any sort of International basketball, so the idea of allowing them to continue to represent their home proved to deliver the most entertaining All-Star Game in years.
This year’s All-Star Weekend saw Raptors members plentifully distributed throughout the different events. Outside of these three participating in the All-Star Games on Sunday, Barnes also competed in the Shooting Stars Competition on Saturday alongside Chet Holmgren and Richard Hamilton. Friday was the Rising Stars Games, which featured rookie first-round pick Collin Murray-Boyles and G-League standout Alijah Martin.
The first game for Toronto coming out of the break is on Thursday night against the Chicago Bulls at 8:00 PM EST in the United Center. With 27 games remaining in the regular season, the Raptors won’t just look to maintain their ranking in the Eastern Conference Standings. After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, the Raptors have their eyes set on achieving home-court advantage in the first round of the postseason and trying to capture a series win for the first time since the Bubble in 2020.