The Raptors’ face may need surgery to fix a broken middle finger on his non-shooting left hand, which he received during the first half of the Golden State Warriors’ visit on Friday.
Everything starts — and often ends — with Barnes because so much is expected of the kid, who missed his first game of the season on Sunday night as the Raptors defeated the Charlotte Hornets 111-106.
Dell Curry, a former Raptors sharpshooter and TV analyst for the Bugs and the father of Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry, was in attendance on Sunday evening, but there was no sense of excitement or anticipation for a game between two teams with a combined win total of 37.
Swaths of vacant seats peppered the lower bowl, which was unsurprising given the absence of star power just two days after the Warriors returned to reignite the excitement surrounding their 2019 championship matchup with the Raptors.
This game was not for the faint of heart, as the Raptors turned the ball six times in the first 12 minutes, resulting in eight Charlotte baskets as the visitors led 29-27 entering the second quarter. Charlotte would lead by eight in the second period.
Fans of the Raptors, who have been asked to pay more money next season for the privilege of attending games in person, will have to adjust to nights like Sunday as the 2023-24 season finally ends. Nobody could have predicted that RJ Barrett, D.J. Carton, Gradey Dick, Jordan Nwora, and Kelly Olynyk would be on the floor together.
Nonetheless, this improbable squad was asked to finish the first quarter and start the second against the Hornets. When the season began, none of the aforementioned players had played a single minute for the Raptors.
