The Toronto Raptors’ 50-point preseason win over the New York Knicks came with a giant asterisk attached, since none of the defending champion’s top names were on the floor. Still, Bruce Brown was out there, and for Raptors fans, that was enough to make the night feel a little sweeter.
Brown, who is currently battling just to land one of the final spots on the Knicks’ roster, finished with five points in 18 minutes during the blowout. Toronto supporters never fully embraced him after he arrived from the Indiana Pacers as part of the Pascal Siakam trade, and this latest showing only gave them more reason to enjoy the result.
There was a time when Brown looked exactly like the kind of Swiss-army player Masai Ujiri loves. He can guard three positions, knock down mid-range shots, and deliver sharp passes. Ujiri even said Brown was a player he had been trying to get for years before Toronto finally brought him in through the Siakam deal.
But the fit never really clicked with the fanbase. Some of that frustration came from the idea that Brown should have been moved at the NBA trade deadline for more young assets, though that wasn’t his call. He still had a chance to change opinions with his play, and that didn’t happen.
Instead, Brown put up just 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 52 games for Toronto, a drop from the double-digit scoring he posted with Denver and Indiana. Then came the quote that ensured the relationship would stay rocky: he said he was trying to return to the Nuggets as soon as he touched down in Canada.
Toronto fans also came away from the deal with a clearer view of Brown’s limitations. His best seasons were boosted by the unique offensive pull of Nikola Jokic, who made life easier around him. Without that kind of help, Brown was exposed as a below-average half-court scorer, even if his versatility still gave him value.
He did play all 82 games for a strong Nuggets team last season, but now he’s fighting simply to make the back end of New York’s roster. He remains the kind of useful player who can matter on a championship team, yet his lack of elite athleticism and 3-point shooting has narrowed his usefulness as he’s gotten older.
So yes, this was only preseason, and yes, the Knicks were filled with players who are likely headed for Westchester or the end of the bench. But for a Raptors crowd that has never forgotten a slight, especially one involving a player saying he didn’t want to be in Toronto, it still counted as a nice little revenge night. As Goran Dragic showed, that kind of grudge can last.
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Scottie Barnes Had The Perfect Reaction To An Awkward Raptors Moment
Preseason warmups tend to produce a few odd moments, and Scottie Barnes delivered one of the stranger ones before Toronto faced the Knicks. While going up for a 360-degree dunk attempt, Barnes had a wardrobe malfunction when his pants slipped down, turning what was supposed to be a routine bit of looseness into an awkward scene before tipoff.
Barnes handled it with the kind of humor Raptors fans have come to expect, later poking fun at the incident on Instagram. The moment barely lingered once the game started, anyway, as Barnes moved on to help Toronto roll to a 148-98 preseason win with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Murray-Boyles Is Flashing What The Raptors Frontcourt Needs
Collin Murray-Boyles gave the Raptors a promising glimpse in preseason action against the Knicks, and the part that stood out most was the shot he added to his game. He went 7-for-7 from the field and knocked down both of his three-point attempts, a small sample but an encouraging one for a Toronto frontcourt that could use more spacing after a recent free agency departure.
For a team trying to sort out how its big men fit together, Murray-Boyles showing real touch away from the rim matters. If the shooting gains hold, it could sharpen his path to a meaningful role and give Toronto another frontcourt option who can stretch the floor instead of crowding it. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Could Get A Very Different Raptors Test This Time
The Raptors are heading back to Madison Square Garden for another preseason look at the Knicks, and the backdrop is a little different this time. Toronto already flattened New York in its most recent meeting, but the real value now is less about the score and more about what this stretch is revealing as the regular season creeps closer. The roster is still taking shape, and after waiving Trey Jemison III, the team has two two-way spots left to sort through.
New York, for its part, is expected to answer with a stronger lineup after the lopsided result in the last meeting. That should give Toronto a more useful measuring stick as it continues working through lineup and rotation decisions, especially with so many of those choices still unsettled. Preseason games rarely tell the whole story, but this one figures to say more about where both teams really stand. [Read more 🡒]