Scottie Barnes Ruled Out Friday With Groin Injury
Underdog NBA reported: 'Scottie Barnes (adductor, groin) ruled out Friday.'
The are officially putting on the shelf for Friday night. According to Underdog NBA, the franchise cornerstone has been ruled out with an adductor and groin issue.
Groin injuries are the absolute worst kind of vague basketball update. You cannot just tape up an adductor and play through it unless your goal is to look like a guy slipping on ice for 48 minutes.
Barnes is the entire engine for this roster. When he sits, the Raptors' offense usually devolves into a chaotic pickup game where nobody knows each other's names.
This is an immediate red alert for anyone looking at the Friday slate. With Barnes out of the lineup, the usage rates for the rest of the starting five are going to spike dramatically, completely shifting the math on player props and team totals.
The research out there is a bit muddy right now, with some older reports floating around about previous knee issues, but the official word today is strictly about the groin. That is the only thing that matters for tonight's rotation.
Soft tissue injuries in that area have a nasty habit of lingering longer than anyone wants. Watch the weekend injury reports closely, because if Barnes misses extended time, is going to have to completely rewire how they play basketball.