Before this recent six-in-seven run of wins, and during a period when an injured Barnes missed 35 of 88 games, Toronto's record was 4-31.

The Toronto Raptors see Scottie Barnes as the type of two-way player who can become one of the best players in the NBA

(Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP) Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) defends against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian ...

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes earned league honors for the Player of the Week in the Eastern Conference

At this point, there is no Victor Wembanyama in this season's NBA rookie class. There is no Paolo Banchero. And there's no Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Karl-Anthony Towns, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin,

Scottie Barnes has always been able to do special things on the defensive end of the basketball court. Before he was zipping no-look passes across the floor, mastering the mid-range or posting triple-doubles,

TORONTO (AP) Scottie Barnes had 17 points and 11 rebounds ... a five-point halftime deficit into a 15-point advantage. Paolo Banchero had 26 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando, which couldn ...

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) defends against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.

Scottie Barnes turns defense into offense as he steals it away from Paolo Banchero and then dunks it home for the Raptors.

The Knicks have won five in a row including wins over teams like the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Kings who have all been surging. New York is sitting at No. 3 in the East and is just a game back of the Celtics for the No. 2 seed. The Knicks are jelling at the right time as they continue to move forward with their season.

The NBA named the 10 "starters" for this year's All-Star Game(s) last week, and to no one's surprise, the league's biggest stars made the cut. LeBron James will start for a 21st consecutive season. His aging rivals,

Last week the NBA announced the All-star starters for each conference. In the east, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell were the two starters at guard, and Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Karl Anthony-Towns were the three frontcourt starters.