The highlight of this game is that this is the first time the two sides have faced each other since the Raptors traded Sika to the Pacers. In a previous deal, the Pacers sent Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round picks (including the Pacers' 2024 first-round pick, the Thunder, Jazz, Rockets, Clippers' lowest-pick in the 2024 first-round pick, and the Pacers' first-round pick protected by the top four picks in 2026) to get Pascal Siakam from the Raptors.
Traded his star to the same team in the East, and the value of the draft pick in exchange was average, and the unprotected 24-year draft pick is recognized as a small year for the draft, and a player like Zack Edey, who only has a second-round draft pick in 2023, can even be seen in 2024. The main reason is that Sika only has one year left on his contract, and the Raptors are still out of favor, and among the limited options, send him to the team he wants to go to.
In today's game, the Raptors' new dragon king Scottie Barnes started the game for 38 minutes, shooting 8 of 18, 0 of 3 three-pointers, and 5 of 5 free throws to score 21 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists and 5 blocks. At the age of 22 years and 209 days, Barnes became the 8th youngest player in NBA history to score a triple-double in a single game and deliver 5+ blocks, after the previous 7 were:
1. Victor Wembanyama (20 years and 39 days).
2. Alvin Adams (21 years and 188 days).
3. Shaquille O'Neal (21 years and 259 days).
4. Chris Webb (22 years and 37 days).
5. Josh Smith (22 years and 49 days).
6. Bill Wharton (22 years and 84 days).
7. Serge Ibaka (22 years and 154 days).
Maple Leafs Kobe Bryant played 32 minutes, 11-of-16 from the field, and 2-of-3 from three-point range to finish with 24 points, two rebounds and five assists. After being traded by the Knicks to the Raptors, Barrett played well. In his first ten games for the Raptors, Barrett averaged 20 per game2 points and a whopping 54 shooting percentage7%, and the three-point shooting percentage also reached 395%
It is worth mentioning that the Raptors' rookie in 2023, the 198-centimeter "dick", has recently played a strong performance after experiencing a slump at the beginning of the season and being relegated to the Development League. In this game, he shot 7 of 9 and 4 of 4 three-pointers, and scored 18 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Since February, he has averaged 12. per game5 points 27 rebounds 11 assist, 3-point shooting rate as high as 50%.
On the Pacers' side, the cold hand of Haliburton, the core of the team, was the main reason for the team's loss. Haliburton played 32 minutes, shooting 2-of-11 from the field and 1-of-6 from three-point range to finish with nine points, seven assists and two steals.
Siakam played 36 minutes, 11-of-22 and 3-of-8 from three-point range to finish with 27 points, nine rebounds, six assists and one block. Mathurin, the team's second-year shooting guard, played 38 minutes, shooting 11-of-15, including 5-of-8 three-pointers and 7-of-9 free throws, for 34 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.