Raptors' Scottie Barnes Out at Least 3 Weeks with Fractured Orbital Bone Injury

Having lost three of their first four games to start the 2024-25 season, the Toronto Raptors will be without their best player for at least the next three weeks.

The Raptors announced on Wednesday that Barnes has been diagnosed with a right orbital fracture and his condition will be updated following a re-evaluation in three weeks.

The injury occurred in the Raptors' 127-125 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Barnes attempted to get his own rebound after missing a shot in the fourth quarter when he was inadvertently elbowed in the face by Nikola Jokić.

After the Nuggets scored on the ensuing possession, the Raptors called timeout to sub Barnes off the floor. He eventually went to the locker room and didn't return to the game.

Toronto had a 112-108 lead with 30 seconds left to play in regulation when Barnes was injured. Ochai Agbaji, who entered the game for Barnes, missed a free throw that would have given the Raptors a four point lead with 21 seconds remaining.

The Nuggets outscored the Raptors 6-2 at the end of the fourth quarter with Barnes off the floor. Jamal Murray's layup as time expired tied the score at 114 and sent the game to overtime.

Toronto shot just 4-of-12 from the field in overtime. Barnes nearly posted his first triple-double of the season with 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, along with five steals in 35 minutes.

The Raptors were in rough shape with Barnes, ranking in the bottom 10 in the league in offensive and defensive rating. Things only figure to get more difficult for them without their best player.

Barnes averaged 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists in four starts. An absence of at least three weeks ensures he will miss the next 11 games, including the Raptors' first two NBA Cup games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 12 and Detroit Pistons on Nov. 15.