The two stars have propelled the Raptors to a potential playoff birth for the first time in four years, and Scottie believes this is a reason why.
Brandon Ingram and the Toronto Raptors face the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday afternoon in Fiserv Forum. The Bucks will be without 10-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who hasn’t played since Jan. 23rd due to a calf strain, but that hasn’t prevented them from playing good basketball recently. Milwaukee has won six out of its last seven games, including a three-game win-streak and a victory over the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Toronto will be without its two-time All-Star and DPOY candidate, Scottie Barnes, who has been ruled out due to a personal reason. He missed practice in each of the last two days, and while the severity of the matter is undisclosed, his next potential chance to suit up will come against the Oklahoma City in Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night.
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) | © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Barnes and Ingram have been a pivotal dynamic duo this season that has propelled the Raptors to the fifth-seed in the Eastern Conference. The two All-Stars have both proven their worth as some of the best players in the league; Ingram has done so with his demoralizing offensive ability, and Barnes has done so with his relentless defensive prowess.
After competing against each other in the All-Star Game last weekend, Barnes had endless praise for his teammate in his first year playing as a Raptor.
“[Ingram’s] been amazing for [the Raptors],” said Barnes. “[He is] being our closer at the end of games, and being our go-to guy in any situation where we’re able to find a great shot. Any shot is a great shot for him … He has also been taking that step defensively; he has made some huge plays for us defensively to win games … [He has been] buying into the program, and I think that goes a long way. When you buy into the program, you’re challenging yourself every single day, it just takes you to the next level, and that’s just what makes him so special.”
His praise has been absolutely warranted, given his impact on winning for Toronto this season. After winning just 30 games last season, Ingram has helped boost this Raptors team to 33 wins in just 56 games. There is no looking back now for the former No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, who has never won a playoff series in his first nine seasons in the league.
What’s Next for the Raptors?
The Raptors are set to face a gauntlet after tonight’s matchup in Milwaukee. Nine out of their next 13 games will come against teams currently slated to make the playoffs, including seven games against top-10 teams in the NBA; Toronto currently has a record of 1-13 against the top-10 teams, outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
They sit just three and a half games out of the second seed in the East, but simultaneously three games out of the seventh seed and the Play-In Tournament. Every game from here on out counts, as the final month and a half of the season will heavily determine the Raptors’ odds to win their first playoff series since the Bubble in 2020.