Raptors share Scottie Barnes game status ahead of Timberwolves Showdown

Scottie Barnes is ready to go.

The Toronto Raptors will have their All-Star forward back Thursday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves after an 11-game absence due to a right orbital bone fracture he suffered late last month.

Barnes will be on a one-minute restriction as the Raptors try to ramp him back up to full strength, Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said. The plan is for him to use goggles for the next little while to protect his ailing right eye.

With Barnes back in the fold, Toronto will see RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, and Jakob Poeltl slide back into more comfortable positions as secondary and tertiary players for the Raptors. The trio have all put up career-high scoring numbers to start this season, and the expectation is that those numbers will dip with Barnes carrying the majority of Toronto’s offensive workload.

Barnes averaged 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6 assists per game over Toronto’s first four games of the year before suffering an injury to his right eye.

Rookie first-round pick Ja’Kobe Walter remains questionable, Rajaković said. He practiced with the Raptors 905 Thursday morning and remains a game-time decision.

The Raptors are still without Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Immanuel Quickley, Bruno Fernando and DJ Carton.