Scottie Barnes has been battling a hand injury lately. The Toronto Raptors star reportedly aggravated the injury during the team’s Monday night game against the Washington Wizards.
Heading into Wednesday’s game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Raptors, Toronto is operating with the idea that Barnes is questionable to play, leaving his chances of suiting up at 50/50.
Wednesday’s game between the Sixers and the Raptors will be an important one for 2025 NBA Draft Lottery standings. Currently, the Sixers, Raptors, and the Brooklyn Nets have the same amount of wins. The Sixers are in between those teams and could drop past the Raptors if they come up short on Wednesday.
It’s evident Toronto is better with Barnes on the court, but the idea that the Raptors could lose their 13th seed in the Eastern Conference with a victory over Philadelphia might make them question whether they want Barnes on the floor or not on Wednesday.
While the Raptors have won five of their last 10 games, there have been moments where Toronto has sat key players in crunch time during tight games. Many are under the belief the Raptors are tanking at this stage in the season.
Is it really worth it for the Raptors to risk further complications for their star player? That’s the biggest question surrounding Barnes heading into the Wednesday night battle.
The last time Barnes missed action for the Raptors was during their February 26 matchup agains the Indiana Pacers. After that absence, Barnes was back on the court for the following six games, including Monday’s win over the Wizards.
This season, Barnes has averaged 20 points, eight rebounds, and six assists for Toronto. With Barnes on the floor, the Raptors have a 20-31 record this season. Without him, they’ve won just two out of 14 games.
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