Raptors 905 Make G League History with 14-0 Start, Eye Showcase Cup Run
The Raptors 905 didn’t just win on Tuesday night-they made a statement. With a 126-99 blowout over the Westchester Knicks, the 905 capped off a perfect 14-0 start to the G League season, heading into the Winter Showcase as the league’s undisputed top seed.
This wasn’t a gritty comeback or a nail-biter like some of their recent thrillers. This was dominance from a team that’s been flirting with history and finally sealed the deal. The 905 have found different ways to win all season-rallying from 20+ point deficits, outlasting unbeaten teams on the road-but this one was wire-to-wire control against a struggling Westchester squad that dropped to 1-13.
Martin Sets the Tone Early
Alijah Martin was the engine from the opening tip. He played with the kind of relentless energy that doesn’t show up in a box score but sets the tone for everything else. Diving for loose balls, pushing the pace, and finishing strong in transition, Martin gave the 905 the edge they needed on a night when their offense took a little while to find its rhythm.
He had nine points and three rebounds in the first quarter alone and capped off the opening frame with a powerful fastbreak dunk that sent a jolt through the bench. By halftime, he had 17 points on just five shot attempts-thanks to a trio of free throws (one from a technical foul) and a smooth catch-and-shoot three that showed off his shooting touch.
Depth on Display
What makes this 905 team so dangerous isn’t just the top-end talent-it’s how deep they go. Seven players hit double figures, and three of them came off the bench: Jarkel Joiner, Quincy Guerrier, and Julian Reese.
No one played more than 30 minutes, and all 13 players on the roster saw the floor before halftime. That kind of balance and buy-in is rare at any level, and it’s a big reason why the 905 are sitting atop the G League.
Even with AJ Lawson having a quieter night by his standards-he still dropped 16-the 905 didn’t miss a beat. Chucky Hepburn continued to quarterback the offense with poise, and Olivier Sarr gave them a valuable blend of rim protection and floor spacing, stretching the defense while anchoring the paint.
Ugly Start, Clean Finish
The 905 didn’t come out firing. They started just 6-of-16 from the field and 2-of-8 from deep (not counting Martin), while their defense gave up some easy looks.
But Westchester couldn’t capitalize-missing point-blank shots and coughing up the ball early and often. The Knicks had nine turnovers in the first quarter alone and finished the night with 28 total, compared to just 10 by the 905.
That’s a +18 turnover margin, fueled by 17 steals.
Defensively, the 905 made the Knicks work for everything. They went under screens or showed just enough to disrupt rhythm, daring Westchester to shoot over the top. The Knicks had some success rolling to the rim-especially through Ibrahima Diallo and Nick Jourdain-but they couldn’t find consistency from outside, shooting just 23 percent from three.
Westchester did win the rebounding battle in the first half, going into the break up 27-16 on the glass, but it didn’t matter much when they couldn’t take care of the ball or string together stops.
Second-Half Surge
Coming out of halftime, the 905 turned up the pressure. Martin and Lawson opened the third quarter with a flurry of threes and transition buckets, stretching the lead and forcing Westchester to play catch-up. Tyson Degenhart and Tyreke Key added to the barrage with spot-up threes, and the bench unit kept the foot on the gas.
Julian Reese stood out during a key stretch, protecting the rim and finishing through contact, while Guerrier and Key attacked the paint with confidence. Then came Olivier Sarr, who closed the door on any hope of a Knicks rally, scoring 10 of his 12 points during a late-game run that pushed the lead into blowout territory.
Looking Ahead: Showcase Cup and Beyond
With the win, Raptors 905 enter the Winter Showcase in Orlando as the No. 1 seed. They’ll face the No.
8 San Diego Clippers in the quarterfinals on Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET, looking to bring home their first-ever Showcase Cup title in the tournament’s sixth year.
But here’s the catch: once the Showcase ends, the records reset. The regular season officially begins on December 27, and the 905 will have to start all over again in the standings. That’s the grind of the G League, where momentum is real-but so is the reset button.
Still, if this 14-0 run has shown us anything, it’s that this team has the tools, toughness, and depth to handle whatever comes next. They’ve already made history. Now they’ll try to add some hardware to go with it.