Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse is confident there’s no problem between Scottie Barnes and Thaddeus Young after talking to both players on Monday in the aftermath of a disagreement between the two less than 24 hours earlier.
“I spoke to both of them today and they’re like barely like anything happened. So for me, we just move on from there,” Nurse told reporters after practice on Monday.
Teammates had to separate Young and Barnes after they exchanged words on the court at halftime of the Raptors’ home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Barnes finished with 22 points and nine rebounds and Young had four points and six rebounds in the Raptors’ 117-105 win.
The disagreement came in the midst of a tough stretch for the Raptors (17-23), who had lost three in a row prior to the win over Portland. Barnes, in particular, has been in the spotlight for play that hasn’t met the expectations of fans after last year’s rookie-of-the-year campaign.
Both Barnes and Young played down the skirmish after the game.
“Just a little disagreement,” said Barnes. “It was nothing serious. … I love Thad. We hugged it out, that’s my boy, always.”
Young, a 16-year NBA veteran, said: “It’s not a big deal, it’s just brothers going back and forth and like I said, we hugged it out and dapped it up and he told me he loved me and I told him I loved him back. Nothing different than that.”
The Raptors return to action on Tuesday against the visiting Charlotte Hornets.
