‘It sucks’: Scottie Barnes on Raptors’ losing stretch

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes discusses adjusting to Ben Simmons' ball pressure and dealing with the losses piling up for Toronto.

Video Transcript

- A lot of the night, Ben Simmons really seemed to be putting pressure on you, even up the half court. How did you figure out how to respond to that, as the game went on? And obviously into the fourth, you were looking very confident against it.

SCOTTIE BARNES: He pressured me some. Later in the game, like, more of the second half, I would say. Just really tried to get a switch, find the right defender.

And then try to attack from there. We was fighting over a lot of screens, so I would just tried to find a way to get him off balance, off the screen, so I can really attack and drive. I would say that was probably the main way.

- I know you're always talking about how you're just trying to take what the game gives you, what the defense give to you, gives you. But when you get on a run like that, where you're making plays at the basket, two, three, four possessions in a row, how much does confidence just have to play with-- come into play with that aggressive mindset?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I don't know, I was just being able to attack downhill, find the right plays on offense. I'm trying to get the spacing right, so I can be able to get downhill and attack. I'm saying I work on my game. That's where my confidence probably comes from. But other than that, I was just trying to find the right situations where we can be able to attack.

- You seem to be starting some of those drives a little higher on the floor. Like, you were kind of had a few more dribbles, I guess, to speed up before you attack the paint. Did that seem to help? Did that make a difference?

SCOTTIE BARNES: Well, like he said, they were ball pressuring. There was ball pressure pretty high. So I was just trying to find the right switch where I could be able to attack. And he was fighting over a lot of screens, so I was trying to be able to just be able to find angles to get downhill.

- I think this is the longest losing streak of your career in the NBA. I think you guys just hit 3 last year. Not used to losing a lot. What does it feel like? How are you doing?

SCOTTIE BARNES: It sucks. It sucks, just trying to find ways to win. Definitely a winnable game. Could have put 'em away in the first half. They made a run in the end of first-- the second quarter, to come back.

Losing's not fun. I don't think none of us likes losing. We all just got to stay positive, keep that mindset. This is definitely a winnable game. Just got to find something to just come back and go over the gameplan and just keep trying to win.

- Is it worse when they are winnable games?

SCOTTIE BARNES: Nuh-uh. I wouldn't say it's worse. I like competition. I feel like we all like competition. But this was a good team tonight. We could have put the game away early, but made some mistakes.

I will say myself, I made some lapses in that first half. Turnover, started to run. But it doesn't make it worse, though. We're right there, the whole game. But it was definitely a winnable game, that we could have won.

- What did you like about playing with that two-guard lineup? When both Fred and Malachi are out there?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I would say it helped us. It helped us. And I was playing really well, being able to get to the rim, making shots. Having another spacer out there on the floor, so we can probably attack.

He did, he did very well tonight. Fred did amazing. Being able to score, get downhill, create for others.

Being there, made shots, get to the rim. He did a lot for us. They both played really well.

- Thanks, Scottie. Got a great.