The New York Knicks got absolutely clobbered in Toronto tonight, dropping a staggering 148-98 game to the Raptors. This absolute beatdown followed up a loss to the Timberwolves yesterday, making for a rough back-to-back. Coach Mike Brown made the call to rest his starters, which, yeah, it’s preseason and these games don’t count for the standings. But man, the guys who *were* on the floor put on a rough show, especially on defense. Across the court, Kawhi Leonard made his preseason debut for the Raptors, and he definitely made his presence felt, helping his team jump out to a huge lead.
First Quarter Flops and Raptors Roar
Right out of the gate, both teams were bricking shots, looking like they forgot how to put the ball through the hoop. But the Raptors snapped out of it way faster, sprinting to a 13-4 lead that forced the Knicks into an early timeout. RJ Barrett, playing for the Dinos, looked sharp early, grabbing eight points in just seven minutes. For the Knicks, James Wiseman started off ice cold. He blanked on the scoreboard in the first quarter, tossing up two turnovers that basically cancelled out his pair of rebounds. Not exactly the start you want to see.
Drew Eubanks checked in for Wiseman mid-frame, and while he at least got on the scoreboard, he didn’t exactly wow anyone. Pacome Dadiet entered the fray too, and immediately got schooled by Scottie Barnes and then Barrett, which was not great to watch. Mohamed Diawara did make his first three-pointer of the preseason, which was a nice moment, but it felt like a tiny sip when everyone was parched for some actual good basketball. By the break, Barnes was lighting it up, shooting 6-of-7 for 15 points, and the score stood at a grim 42-22. The gap felt way, way bigger than just 20 points, trust me. You even saw Mike Brown and Jose Alvarado having some extended chats in the first, looking totally out of sync. It felt like nobody was on the same page for the Knicks.
Defensive Disaster and Wiseman’s Comeback
The second quarter kicked off with Toronto dropping a swift 7-0 run, thanks to a bucket from Quickley, a three from Kawhi Leonard, and a drive by Barrett. Tyler Nickel tried to respond with a layup and a three, and Tony Bradley put in a couple of baskets inside, but the Knicks’ defense was playing like it was a game of touch football. Seriously. They just let the Raptors pour it on. After Bruce Brown managed a cutting layup to make it 56-33, the Raptors went on a brutal 20-2 run. Being on the wrong end of *that* kind of run is never fun, no matter the game.
Despite the team’s struggles, James Wiseman did manage to turn things around offensively in the second half. After that rough first quarter, he ended up leading the team with 18 points and pulled down 10 boards, which is a solid double-double on paper. Pacome Dadiet also played better after intermission, which is a good sign for development, but it was too little, too late in this one. Ja’Kobe Walter added all eight of his quarter’s points, trying to stem the tide.
Look, these games don’t count for the standings, but they absolutely count for building rhythm, confidence, and figuring out who’s ready for prime time. The Knicks have some serious defensive homework to do before they hit the court again, no doubt about it. You gotta hope they figure out how to stop playing touch football and actually defend, because that score is a tough pill to swallow.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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