Scottie Barnes scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to power the Toronto Raptors past the Los Angeles Clippers 125-118 on Monday night. The victory in Inglewood snapped a two-game skid for Toronto while handing the short-handed Clippers their sixth consecutive defeat.
Scottie Barnes Takes Over in the Fourth Quarter
Trailing by 13 points heading into the final period on the second night of a back-to-back, the Raptors turned to their star forward to rescue a disjointed performance. Barnes delivered a dominant closing frame, adding 15 rebounds and eight assists to his stat line. His turnaround jumper with 2:08 remaining gave Toronto its first lead of the second half, capping a decisive 12-1 run as reported by Sportsnet.
Scottie Barnes has been added to the Raptors’ injury report – he’s questionable vs Clippers with left hip tightness. https://t.co/WoAwDDy32P
— https://x.com/JLew1050/status/2117362729593827683
Immanuel Quickley supported the offensive attack with 27 points, while RJ Barrett chipped in 26. Despite shooting struggles from beyond the arc, Toronto’s late-game surge erased a deficit that had stretched to 16 points earlier in the contest according to Raptors Rapture.
Have faith in me.
Scottie Barnes, via Raptors Rapture
Barnes was initially listed as questionable before tipoff due to left hip soreness and tightness, but was cleared to play and ultimately logged heavy minutes down the stretch to anchor Toronto’s comeback effort.
Clippers Fight Short-Handed Despite Kobe Sanders’ Career Night
Playing without several key rotation players, the Clippers leaned heavily on rookie and bench contributions to build their early advantage. Darius Garland contributed 15 points and veteran guard Max Strus made his season debut after missing the opening six games with a partial plantar fascia tear detailed Sports Illustrated.
Los Angeles head coach Tyronn Lue, who coached through an illness that kept him from holding a pregame news conference, praised his team’s initial approach according to Sportsnet coverage.
I thought we had a focus and an intent to play the right way offensively, getting into the paint, making the right plays for our teammates.
Tyronn Lue, Los Angeles Clippers Head Coach
Gradey Dick also made his first start for the Clippers against the organization that originally drafted him in 2023, contributing 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists over 29 minutes.
Roster Absences Shape the Matchup at Intuit Dome
The much-anticipated storyline of Kawhi Leonard returning to face his former franchise was shelved before tipoff. Leonard remained sidelined due to left knee swelling, missing his fourth consecutive game and his only road trip back to the Intuit Dome this season noted Yahoo Sports. Leonard spent seven seasons with the Clippers following his 2019 championship run with Toronto pointed out Sportsnet.
Upcoming Schedule for Both Squads
The Raptors continue their Western Conference road trip against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night reported Sportsnet. The Clippers return home to host the Miami Heat on Wednesday as they look to snap their six-game skid noted Sportsnet.