Scottie Barnes Was Shooting That Mf — and That's More Interesting Than the Knicks Winning

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Scottie Barnes shot four-for-five from three and blocked four shots against the Knicks. And I’m supposed to spend this whole article talking about New York winning a preseason game by two? Nah. The thing that caught my eye is a 6-foot-8 dude who already handles, passes and guards multiple positions looking comfortable pulling up from outside. If that jumper becomes something defenses have to respect, Toronto’s offense changes completely.

Barnes finished with 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting, four assists and four blocks in 28 minutes. He hit his first four shots and had 15 by halftime. This wasn’t just him getting hot either: he was initiating offense, stepping into jumpers and then turning around to erase shots on the other end. One of those defensive plays was a help-side rejection of a Brunson drive that sent Toronto the other way. That’s impact beyond a scoring total.

Now, four-for-five from three does not mean Barnes is suddenly Steph Curry. I’m not doing that preseason bullshit. But if he keeps taking those shots confidently, defenders can’t just camp in the paint waiting for him. That gives RJ Barrett more room to bully his way downhill and makes life easier for the guards. I care about whether the process carries into meaningful games, not whether he can shoot 80 percent for one night.

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Toronto had other guys producing. Barrett put up 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Immanuel Quickley added 18 and seven assists. Kawhi Leonard played about 23 minutes and scored six on just five shots. Nobody needs to pretend Kawhi had a monster game; he didn't. But Toronto’s offense still had answers because Barnes and the rest weren’t standing around waiting for one star to rescue them.

And don’t skip Collin Murray-Boyles. Twelve points, five rebounds, three steals and a block, plus some tough defensive possessions. He has the physicality to disrupt people and the confidence to challenge bigger names. When he and Barnes get into passing lanes or help at the rim, you start seeing why Toronto could be irritating as hell to play against even when its half-court offense gets messy.

New York had its own story beyond the final. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 13 points, 15 rebounds and NINE assists. Nine assists from your center. He was finding cutters and playing give-and-go basketball with Brunson early. Brunson had 20 points, and Mikal Bridges helped New York find offense too. If Towns keeps creating for other players, Brunson doesn’t have to work his ass off to manufacture every decent possession.

That doesn't mean the Knicks were clean. They turned it over 19 times. OG Anunoby shot 2-for-10, Mohamed Diawara shot 2-for-10, and Toronto kept finding ways to climb back into it. New York led 63–58 at halftime and 87–79 after three, but Toronto dropped 41 in the fourth. You can't just point to a win and pretend all of that sloppy execution disappears.

Toronto tied it at 117 in the final minute after Jaden Bradley's three-point play. Then Tyler Kolek knocked down a three, and Tyler Nickel made his free throws to help New York survive. I like that moment for the bench guys: if you’re fighting for minutes, late-game execution can help you earn trust. At the same time, the Knicks shouldn't need a last-minute rescue after having their starters on the floor for much of the game.

And here's the funniest part: these same teams played two days earlier and Toronto beat a heavily shorthanded New York lineup 148–98. Fifty damn points. Then the Knicks brought their main guys back and won by two. If you're basing an NBA opinion on either preseason margin alone, you're setting yourself up to look crazy. Evaluate the players, the lineups and the habits.

Barnes hitting jumpers confidently while protecting the rim, Towns running offense from the middle, Toronto’s young defenders bringing real energy, and both teams showing they still have turnover problems — that's what I'm taking from this game. The Knicks get the win. Cool. The better question is which of these things still works once the regular season gets serious.

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