The Rookie of the Year showed zero playoff jitters in his first NBA postseason experience and despite battling an ankle injury, continued to be an impact player on both ends.

Video Transcript

SAVANNAH HAMILTON: Maybe-- again, maybe it's Scottie Barnes. Maybe you have to give it to the Rookie of the Year. I know it's such a generic low-hanging fruit answer. But he's a rookie. And he's playing and we hold him to the standards of Pascal some nights, I swear.

And when he was like hurt with that ankle injury, he was in a boot, the Raptors lost. And it just goes to show you just how integral Scottie Barnes is on this team and what his role has been and what he's carved himself out to be, both on the offensive end and the defensive end.

And even tonight, you can't tell me that his ankle is still fully healed. He definitely was playing on a sore ankle still, because he tweaked it in the last game too. So these guys are definitely injury-ridden.

And I think Scottie Barnes, him being such a rookie and composed as well, that's actually something that really surprised me and really stood out to me. He doesn't complain about these refs calls. You rarely see him react. He might do a one-two like this. But he doesn't really do that much after that.

IMMAN ADAN: He'll get back on defense.

SAVANNAH HAMILTON: He gets back on defense, exactly.

IMMAN ADAN: Unlike some other guys, he'll get back on defense.

SAVANNAH HAMILTON: Unlike some other guys, for sure. Yeah, so I think I'd have to give the surprise to Scottie.

IMMAN ADAN: Yeah, I think I would agree with that. I thought that, especially in game one, I was like, OK, these are a few guys' first time in the playoffs. Fred and Pascal, they've been there before. OG's been there before, but Scottie hadn't.

And what we saw was Scottie almost have a triple double. If he didn't get injured, he could have very well had a triple double in his first playoff game ever when half of the team looked like they had a bit of the nervous tummies in that game.

So just having him come out there like that-- and yeah, he had some rookie moments tonight, I'll say it. You mentioned it on the defensive end, he had some rookie moments. He was jumping out a lot. But he showed so much composure. And the 3's that he was able to hit, just his ability to just go up with so much force, whether it be at the basket or taking the shots that he needs to take or guarding, whatever assignment is in front of him, he was really doing it.