Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes will be sidelined for at least three weeks after suffering a right orbital fracture, the team announced Wednesday.
Barnes was removed from Monday’s 127-125 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets after Nikola Jokić elbowed him in the eye in the paint. Jokić was fighting with Raptors center Jakob Poeltl for a rebound at the center of the line when his left elbow swung back and inadvertently drilled Barnes directly in his eye.
Scottie Barnes left the game with less than 30 seconds left after this elbow to the face by Nikola Jokic.
The Nuggets just forced overtime in Toronto.pic.twitter.com/n8lkziKtHF
– Clutch Points (@ClutchPoints) October 29, 2024
Barnes remained in the game to finish the play, but the Raptors called a timeout and he went to the locker room. The Nuggets forced overtime during that sequence and ultimately won by two points. That completed a 15-point comeback for Denver and gave it its first win of the season.
Barnes finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in that loss, which dropped the Raptors to 1-3 on the year.
Barnes has averaged 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and six assists this season. The former Rookie of the Year scored a career-high 19.9 points and 8.2 rebounds last season and earned his first All-Star nod. Barnes, 23, also signed a five-year rookie max extension this past offseason.
If Barnes is out for only three weeks, he could return in time for their matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 21. That would mean he would miss only 11 games.
The Raptors will face the Charlotte Hornets next Wednesday night in North Carolina. Toronto went 25-57 last season and missed the playoffs for the second straight year.