RJ Barrett, a player for the Toronto Raptors, has been showing extraordinary performance on his home turf at the Scotiabank Arena. Barrett, originally from Mississauga, Ontario, led the scoreboard with 37 points in the Raptors’ victory over the Miami Heat with a score of 119-116. Remarkably, this marks the third consecutive home game where Barrett scored over 30 points, and the fifth time in the current season’s seven home games.
Barrett playfully brushed off the limelight, pointing out his solid performances in recent road games as well. He scored 22 points during the Raptors’ 119-103 triumph in New Orleans and 25 points in their 121-111 defeat in Miami. But Barrett admitted that he’s been putting extra focus into his game lately.
Despite missing the first three games due to a pre-season shoulder injury, Barrett has been delivering impressive stats since his return. His performance varies noticeably between home and away games. Over 11 road games, he’s averaged 19.4 points, 6.5 assists, and six rebounds. In contrast, his seven Toronto games have seen him average 30.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.8 assists.
On average, Barrett’s season stats stand at 23.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. These numbers are certainly a good sign for the Raptors, especially as they embark on an extended home game series.
However, Barrett warns against complacency. “It was a good win tonight, but we’ve got to go back again tomorrow and get ready for Indiana,” he said.
Raptors’ head coach, Darko Rajakovic, humorously attributes Barrett’s consistent performance to his love for Canadian culture and cuisine. But Barrett isn’t the only one thriving at home. The Raptors have secured most of their victories at the Scotiabank Arena, with their only road win coming from their recent game in New Orleans. Barrett credits the team’s success to the incredible home crowd support.
“In the fourth quarter, there’s a different sort of intensity,” Barrett said. He strongly believes in aggressive play and making the right decisions at the right moments, such as the start and end of the game and the beginning of the third quarter.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on Dec. 1, 2024.
