Weaponizing the pass: how Scottie Barnes creates in the pick n’ roll (Video Essay)

Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors became a tremendous pick n’ roll ball handler last season. Samson Folk does a deep dive, watching every possession, to see exactly how Barnes improved and became a great offensive player.

Make sure to tune in and learn all about Barnes’ pick n’ roll game. It figures to be the first or second most used playtype by the Raptors this year, and we should see a whole bunch of different defensive approaches from the Cavaliers in the season opener with how many different defenders they can throw at Barnes. The last time Barnes played the Cavaliers he saw a combination of drop, ice, and hedge + recover defense. He ran 9 pick n’ rolls that resulted in 14 points (four free throws, two triples, a layup, and a dunk.

If you’re someone who prefers watching instead of reading, well this is the video for you. Not only that, but all of the scouting insights are perfectly timed along with the corresponding plays, and it’s set to the soothing music of Mario Maker 3. In addition to all of that, there’s some updated videos in there from preseason, which makes it a (technically) updated version.

If you’ve been wondering: “hey, Samson, you say Scottie’s been making all these improvements in the pick n’ roll, you showed all of this film, all the stats, but how has he been in the preseason?” Well, I have some numbers for you.

Over the course of preseason, Barnes ran 22 pick n’ rolls, leading to 16 shot attempts, one trip to the free throw line, and a mediocre .773 points per possession. Not great, not by any means, but we’re dealing with small sample sizes and the ho-hum, malaise-laden stylings of preseason. As far as process in the preseason, Barnes is looking for his own shot at a higher rate, and the effectiveness of his passing has gone downhill (likely because of the lack of synergy between teammates). These numbers are just a little thing for those who are interested, I don’t think there’s much to glean from them.

Have a blessed day.

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