The 2024-25 season is the first in which the keys to the franchise have been in Scottie Barnes’ hands since the jump. As the franchise cornerstone, Barnes’ game has been under heavier scrutiny this season, particularly his offensive game. It’s not hard to see why, as Barnes’ growth on offense is probably the most crucial thing to Toronto’s rebuild. So, has Barnes improved his offensive game this season?
How Scottie Barnes is Growing His Offensive Game
Regression As a Three-Point Shooter
Before discussing Barnes’ growth on offense, we must mention where he has taken a step back, which is as a three-point shooter. Barnes is averaging just 28.7% from deep on 5.2 attempts for the season. That’s 5.4% worse from deep compared to his 2023-24 shooting numbers. The most significant area of difference is his catch-and-shoot numbers. In 2023-2024, Barnes shot 38.5% on 3.9 catch-and-shoot threes. This season, he is down to 31% on 3.4 catch-and-shoot attempts.
It’s not all bad, as he has improved as a pull-up shooter, connecting on 25.5% of his pull-up threes on 1.9 attempts. That is up from his awful 17.5% pull-up shooting numbers from 2023-24. Barnes has dealt with multiple injuries that would affect his shooting numbers, including an orbital bone fracture and an ankle sprain he rushed back from. However, throughout his career, Barnes has been much closer to the shooter he is now than he was last season.
Scottie Barnes: The Mid-Range Maestro
While Barnes has stepped back as an outside shooter, he has been on fire from mid-range. Barnes has been very aggressive in hunting shots from mid-range, particularly from 10 to 14 feet, where he is shooting 61%, second-best in the league. Barnes has done a great job getting to his sweet spots, no matter who’s guarding him. If Barnes is operating from the top of the key with a smaller defender, he will use his size and strength to dribble through them before elevating once he’s at the free-throw line or closer. On the wings, Barnes looks to post up more, especially when he sees a smaller defender slowly backing them down before fading away. If he is matched up with a defender his size or larger, Barnes will use a series of dribble moves or fakes before trying to explode to his spot and quickly elevate.
If he gets met and stopped, he counters with a quick fadeaway, and at his size, that’s pretty much unblockable. Barnes will also build momentum driving downhill before stopping and popping on a dime with his defender’s back peddling. He has had no problem getting a clean look from the mid-range, leveraging his size, speed, and strength depending on the match-up. Barnes has shown the most growth on offense, with his mid-range game being his best weapon this season.
Barnes a Downhill Driving Force
Despite playing with some of the league’s worst spacing, Barnes is having a career year finishing at the rim. Firstly, thanks to Barnes’ threat from mid-range, teams haven’t been able to pack the paint as much on his drives. Whether it’s his defender or the center, one must step up, leaving more room to attack in the paint. Alongside his shooting, Barnes better shields the ball with his body, using his strength to protect it as he attacks the rim. In part, due to his growth as a finisher, Barnes is averaging a career-high 20.3 points.
Lastly, Barnes’ handle has improved and is just better this year, making it easier for him to keep his dribble alive on drives and get to the basket. He does a better job than ever of getting his defender on his hip and keeping him locked there. Barnes is averaging 10.9 drives (career high) per game for the season while shooting a career-high 53.5% on drives, a 6.6% increase from last season.
Finishing Better Than Ever
Barnes is too strong to consistently stop one one-on-one at the rim, but with Toronto’s shooting and Barnes’ limitations, opposing teams had no problem sending multiple bodies to Barnes in the paint. However, opposing teams can’t pack the paint as easily on Barnes as they used to. First, if opposing teams want to sag off him in the paint, he can pull up from mid-range and punish them. This means instead of driving into two defenders waiting in the paint, Barnes’ initial defender has to step up, opening more space behind to attack the shot blocker. This has helped his finishing numbers on drives but also means Barnes can be more patient in attacking the paint as he has more counters to work with. With that added time, Barnes can slowly work his way to the rim, using his strength to power through a defender.
His finishing isn’t all on him, as the team has done a good job of finding Barnes under the basket, whether he’s cutting, left open, or has a deep post position. Jakob Poeltl is also a key factor in Barnes’ finishing, being able to drag opposing fives out of the paint. All these factors have led to Barnes’ best finishing season, where he is shooting 69.9% from five feet and in.
The Last Word
While Barnes has taken a giant step back as a three-point shooter, his overall offense has improved. He’s shooting a career-best 55.6% on two-point field goals. He has been money from the mid-range all year, improving his handle, driving ability, and overall touch inside. Barnes still needs to work on his threes but has been trending upwards over the last six games, connecting on 38.1% of his threes during that stretch.
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