ICYMI: "I was just trying to cover myself" - Scottie Barnes reacts to LeBron James chucking a basketball at him during Lakers vs Raptors

LeBron James is known for his strength and physicality, and his hulking frame is part of what's made him such a dominant force in the NBA. So, when Scottie Barnes saw LeBron fire a basketball towards him during the LA Lakers' game Monday against the Toronto Raptors, you could forgive him for hitting the panic button.

Unfortunately for him, Barnes, who was on the floor, had no chance of avoiding the ball and took a shot directly to the face. James wasn't acting out of malice, however. Instead, he was simply looking to throw the ball off of an opponent so his team could keep possession and flow into a sideline-out-of-bounds set.

"I just saw him loading up, and I was like, 'Oh, man,'" Barnes said. "So, I just tried to cover myself, so it didn't hit me in the face, because he put a lot of power onto it. He pulled it back and threw it. I was like, 'Damn.'"

This isn't the first time this season that James has found himself accidentally hurting an opponent. Isaiah Stewart suffered a cut on his face after an inadvertent elbow from LeBron caught him while jostling for position. Stewart deemed the incident to be callous and erupted in anger, earning him a suspension for causing a ruckus.

James is having an excellent season

When watching LeBron James play, it's easy to forget that he's 37 years old. Having recently dropped 50 points on two separate occasions, it's hard to fathom how the Akron, Ohio, native continues to defy the aging process that mere mortals struggle with.

Yet, James continues to strive for his fifth championship as he bids to end his career as the unequivocal greatest player of all time. The LA Lakers forward took another step closer to cementing his legacy earlier this week, when he became the only player in NBA history to register 10,000 points, assists and rebounds.

Scottie Barnes' impressive rookie season

Nobody expected the Toronto Raptors to be a competitive team this season. After losing Kyle Lowry in free agency, most people expected the team to enter a soft rebuild as they looked to retool around Fred VanVleet.

However, Scottie Brooks' rapid ascension has changed the Raptors' trajectory slightly. Nick Nurse now has a young core forming – Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Barnes – and the future is already looking bright north of the border.

Barnes, a power forward from Florida State, is averaging 15.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 52.3% effective field goal. If the Florida native's rookie season is this good, then there's no telling what level he will reach in the coming years. That's an excellent development for the Raptors – especially as they can now begin to build their roster around their core trio.