Scottie Barnes Makes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Argument During NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs are in full effect, and the Toronto Raptors were able to end their three-year playoff drought this year by finishing as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. While they ultimately lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games, they have a promising future moving forward with a young core they can build around.

Two-time All-Star Scottie Barnes made his presence felt in the first round series with his relentless defense and dynamic offensive ability, both as a scorer and distributor. While it is unfortunate that fans don’t get more postseason basketball from him this season, he proved that he is one of the premier players in this league and will be for several years to come. 

A hot topic of conversation around the league is the inconsistency in officiating, especially in these playoffs. Certain players or teams seem to have a different whistle than others, and while he isn’t one of the most talked-about players in this regard, Barnes was exceptional at attacking the basket and drawing fouls, whether they were called or not. 

Perhaps the most discussed player and team for this topic are none other than the reigning MVP and NBA Champions, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Often called “foul-baiters,” players, coaches, and fans alike are tired of the best team in the league receiving an unfair amount of foul calls, especially because of the constant flopping that has plagued the NBA in recent years. 

Barnes went on a livestream after being eliminated to discuss his opinion of the soon-to-be two-time MVP. 

“Shai don’t really foul bait yo,” said Barnes. “He’s aggressive going to the basket, so they call fouls for him. Of course, if you drive the ball that many times, you’re gonna get fouled. He’s out there boutta get a bucket, he’s tough. There’s no reason to hate on his game. I don’t like that argument, that argument is so bad to me.”

This modern age of sports fandom has seen constant negativity, especially when talking about the league’s best. It’s encouraging to see the players support each other, even when there is a significant problem with the league’s rules. At the end of the day, the officiating and rules they abide by are the problem, not the players who are finding loopholes to use to their advantage. 

While he doesn’t play for the only Canadian team in the NBA, the Toronto native is leading his team to back-to-back Western Conference Finals after sweeping the All-Time Leading Scorer, LeBron James, and the Los Angeles Lakers. He didn’t have his best playoff series in the second round, largely due to the aggressive defense centered around his production. Clearly, his production isn’t the only important factor to the Thunder’s success, as they are now 8-0 in these playoffs.