Kawhi Leonard needed only 17 minutes to put his stamp on the preseason rematch with New York. By the time Darko Rajakovic's reserves took over, Toronto had already pulled the margin out to as many as 45 points.
Where It Got Away
Toronto scored 42 points in the first quarter and kept pulling, stacking separate scoring runs on top of it until the half ended with the Raptors sitting on 86. The Knicks' only lead of the night was two points, and there was just one lead change and one tie before Toronto took over for good. A 12-0 run late pushed the margin to as many as 45, and the final read W 148-98.
Starters Starred, Bench Finished
Leonard set the tone immediately, going 6 of 12 from the field and 4 of 8 from three for 21 points before Rajakovic sat him for the second half, finishing plus-28. Scottie Barnes matched that plus-28 across 21 minutes, scoring 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting with six rebounds, four assists, two steals. Immanuel Quickley kept facilitating even with a cold shooting night, going 2 of 7 from the field for 8 points but handing out five assists and finishing plus-23. Toronto's starters produced 69 points to the bench's 28, and by the closing minutes the floor belonged to reserves: Jaden Bradley, Kyle Anderson, Nimari Burnett, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Tyreke Key.
Grades And What's Next
Collin Murray-Boyles was the cleanest line off the bench: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting, including 2 of 2 from three, in 11 minutes, good for plus-21. RJ Barrett added 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting with four rebounds, three assists, finishing plus-19. On the other end of the column, Allen Graves (plus-13 in 10 minutes), Jamal Shead (plus-18 in 9 minutes) and Jakob Poeltl (plus-19 in 17 minutes) were the least productive by the margin, in a game where every Raptor who played finished in the black. Toronto gets New York again on October 15, on the road this time. The Knicks played this one on zero days' rest, in the second of two games in as many nights, while the Raptors came in with two days off.
How many minutes did Kawhi Leonard play in his preseason return against the Knicks?
Leonard played 17 minutes, scoring 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting with four 3-pointers made, good for a plus-28.
When do the Raptors and Knicks play again?
Toronto travels to New York for a preseason rematch on October 15, two days after this 148-98 win.
