Raptors & Nuggets erupt in brawl after hard foul on Scottie Barnes

Aaron Gordon is once again up on his tracks.

Denver Nuggets forward had to be separated from Scottie Barnes after a brawl broke out in the fourth quarter Monday with the Nuggets in town to take on the Toronto Raptors.

Barnes forced a turnover by Gordon, giving the Raptors a fastbreak opportunity. Barnes went up for a layup in transition, but was fouled by Russell Westbrook, who broke up the transition.

The foul was considered a flagrant and sent Barnes to his feet quickly as Toronto players swarmed Westbrook. Gordon went over and started talking to Barnes, which added to the tension as more players joined in. Gordon appeared to push Barnes, connecting with his chin as the two players were restrained by team personnel.

Barnes and Gordon were both hit with tying technical fouls, but neither was ejected after the short bout. Barnes converted one of his two free throws after the incident.

“Just talking back and forth,” said RJ Barrett, who was the closest Raptor to Barnes when the foul occurred. “Scottie defended like he should. I was right there with my one good shoulder. But yeah, we don’t back down from anybody. So, you know, it’s good to see.”

Barrett followed up the altercation moments later with a poster-worthy dunk on Gordon.

“Yeah, it felt good. He’s been jumping so it felt nice,” Barrett said.

This isn’t the first time Gordon has gotten into it with the Raptors. He and former Raptors guard Kyle Lowry argued during a regular season game in the 2020 COVID-19 bubble in Orlando.