The Toronto Raptors had been riding high, boasting one of the league’s most efficient offenses through the early stretch of the season. But over the past three games, that offensive engine has sputtered - and on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, it finally stalled out.
Facing a surging New York Knicks squad, the Raptors were outplayed from the opening tip in a 116-94 loss that snapped their nine-game win streak and marked their second straight defeat. With RJ Barrett sidelined and Brandon Ingram’s shot-making cooling off, Toronto averaged just 100 points over its last three contests - a sharp drop from the explosive pace they had established earlier.
This one had the feel of a team running on fumes. Coming off an overtime battle the night before, the Raptors looked every bit like a squad on the second night of a back-to-back.
Still, there were some bright spots, particularly from the young guns. Collin Murray-Boyles and Ja’Kobe Walter brought energy, and the backcourt duo of Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead gave Toronto some much-needed spark.
Quickley led the team with 19 points and eight assists, while Shead attacked the paint with his trademark aggression.
But outside of those efforts, it was a rough night. Walter went just 1-of-4 from deep, Shead was 0-for-3, and Gradey Dick didn’t attempt a three.
As a team, the Raptors shot just 29.7% from beyond the arc (11-for-37) and were crushed on the boards, finishing minus-21 in the rebounding battle. Without Jakob Poeltl (resting for injury management), Toronto’s frontcourt had its hands full against the physicality of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
Walter did what he could defensively, sticking to Jalen Brunson and even rejecting a short-corner jumper. But the Knicks kept finding answers elsewhere.
Deuce McBride came out firing, hitting four threes early and leading a stretch where New York wings went 14-of-17 from the field. The Raptors’ offense, meanwhile, lacked rhythm.
Half-court sets fizzled, spacing broke down, and possessions often ended in contested looks or turnovers.
Still, there were flashes. Jamison Battle, making his first start of the season, slipped a screen for a dunk.
Shead blew past McBride for a layup. Ingram found Sandro Mamukelashvili for a clean finish after slashing into the paint.
But while Toronto had to work hard for every bucket, the Knicks got theirs with far less resistance. Towns had his way inside, and the Raptors’ defensive rotations were often a step slow.
Murray-Boyles was relentless on the offensive glass, keeping possessions alive even as Toronto missed three straight threes on one sequence. On the other end, Jordan Clarkson poured in a pair of triples to cap off a first quarter that saw the Raptors trailing 41-22.
To their credit, the Raptors didn’t fold. Shead and Murray-Boyles sparked a mini-run with steals and transition finishes.
But that momentum was short-lived, as back-to-back turnovers in transition halted the push. Then came a burst from Scottie Barnes.
After running split action with Quickley, Barnes drilled three straight threes from the top of the arc, cutting the deficit to single digits and forcing a Knicks timeout. Quickley followed with a transition three of his own, set up by another Murray-Boyles offensive board - his fifth of the night.
Ingram started to find a groove as a passer, drawing doubles and dishing to open teammates like Murray-Boyles and Mamukelashvili. And he still had his scoring touch, converting a tough fading and-one late in the shot clock.
Quickley, often criticized for killing his drives too early, had two of his best playmaking sequences of the season - one a lob to Ochai Agbaji, the other a slick drop-off to Barnes for a dunk. The backcourt play was a clear step up from recent games, and Toronto had trimmed a 19-point first-quarter hole to just seven by halftime.
Quickley opened the third with a deep pull-up three in transition and followed it with another tough jumper off a staggered screen. He was 4-of-7 at that point, and the Knicks’ lead was down to five - the closest it had been since the early minutes.
But just as quickly as the Raptors clawed back, the wheels came off again. Defensive breakdowns in transition and sloppy ball-handling opened the door for a Knicks 16-1 run that effectively put the game away.
Murray-Boyles had a rough stretch - a travel followed by an off-ball foul that led to bonus free throws - but bounced back with a pair of strong plays. First, he finished a transition bucket off a hit-ahead pass.
Then, he picked Josh Hart’s pocket and powered through contact for an and-one. The rookie’s motor never stopped running.
Still, the fourth quarter told the story. Toronto couldn’t buy a bucket, and the Knicks dominated the glass to open the frame with a 10-0 rebounding edge.
Mitchell Robinson, despite scoring just two points, was a force inside with 15 boards - bullying a Raptors frontcourt that lacked size and physicality. The Knicks’ lead ballooned to 20, and both teams emptied their benches early.
Raptors 905 call-up Chucky Hepburn checked in late to make his NBA debut.
For Toronto, it was a humbling night - a reminder that even the hottest offenses can cool off, especially when the legs are tired and the shots stop falling. There were encouraging signs from the young core, and the backcourt showed signs of life. But if the Raptors want to get back to their winning ways, they’ll need to clean up the glass, rediscover their shooting touch, and find a bit more balance between isolation play and ball movement.
The season’s still young, but the margin for error in the East is slim. Nights like this one can’t become a trend.