The Toronto Raptors get another look at the New York Knicks tonight, and this time the setting shifts to Madison Square Garden after a 50-point beatdown in Toronto just 48 hours ago.
That lopsided result came at Scotiabank Arena, where Kawhi Leonard made his Toronto debut again after seven years away from the franchise following the 2019 NBA Finals. Now the Raptors head into the first half of a back-to-back to close the preseason, and the matchup brings a few questions with it.
The biggest one is how Toronto handles its rotation. With the second game of the set coming tomorrow against the Detroit Pistons, the Raptors have to decide where to give their main group one more extended run before the regular season opener Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls. Tonight against the Knicks or tomorrow against the Pistons - one of those games figures to be the last strong tune-up for the top end of the roster.
New York should also come in with more bite this time around. Most of the Knicks rotation sat out the last meeting, but that kind of 50-point loss two days earlier is not something any competitive group brushes off. The Knicks will be looking to snap out of the funk they’ve been in over the last two games, especially against Toronto.
That should give the Raptors a better test than they got in the previous meeting. If New York brings a more complete version of itself, Toronto gets a cleaner read on where things stand heading into the regular season.
There’s also a roster battle still hanging in the air. The Raptors recently waived big man Trey Jemison III after he suffered a hand injury in preseason, leaving Malachi Smith as the lone player on a two-way deal.
With two two-way slots still open and only two preseason games left, these next two nights matter. The players fighting for those spots will likely be judged on how they perform against the Knicks and Pistons, with Jamarion Sharpe, Nimari Burnett, and sharpshooter Tyreke Key all in the mix.
In Other News...
Darkos Early Message On This Raptors Rookie Really Stood Out
Allen Graves got his first taste of Raptors basketball in preseason, and the early returns fit the profile Toronto expected when it brought in the rookie. In 15 minutes, he chipped in 5 points, 3 rebounds and a steal, while also showing the kind of defensive energy that has already drawn attention from the coaching staff. For a player viewed as a long-term developmental piece, the debut was less about polished offense and more about whether he could hold his own in the teams system.
Darko Rajakovics message after the game stood out because it cut through the usual rookie caveats and centered on Graves defensive effort and aggressiveness. There are still questions around his speed and athleticism, but the Raptors clearly see a player whose value may come first on the less glamorous end of the floor, with a possible three-point shot adding to the appeal. For now, Toronto is focused on the foundation, and Graves has already given them a reason to keep watching. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Stiller Had The Perfect Caveat To RJ Barrett's Knicks Return
RJ Barretts return to New York has the kind of built-in drama that comes with any homecoming, especially for a Toronto-born player who spent his early NBA years with the Knicks before being dealt to the Raptors on Dec. 30, 2023 in a multi-player swap. Since arriving in Toronto, Barrett has settled in as a steady scoring presence, giving the Raptors dependable production while carrying the added weight of being one of the most recognizable names from that trade.
The Knicks, meanwhile, got OG Anunoby back in the deal, and his impact helped fuel a title run that ended the franchises 53-year wait for a championship. So Barretts first game back at Madison Square Garden figures to carry plenty of emotion, even before the crowd starts sorting through the trades long tail and what it meant for both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Just Made Their Center Problem Even Harder To Ignore
The Raptors frontcourt picture got a little thinner Wednesday, when the team waived Trey Jemison III after he had been on a two-way contract and appeared in one preseason game. The move leaves Toronto with two open two-way roster spots, and it adds another layer to a center group that has already been under the microscope as training camp and roster building continue.
Nate Bittle, Jamarion Sharp and Nimari Burnett are among the names that could be in the mix for those openings, while former Raptors draft pick Christian Koloko is also being mentioned as a possibility. No signings have been reported yet, so the next move will say plenty about how the Raptors want to address a position that is suddenly impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]