Toronto Raptors Dominate New York Knicks in Kawhi Leonard's Re-Debut

While they didn’t entirely impress in their first two preseason games, the Toronto Raptors exploded in their dominant win over the New York Knicks. Coach Mike Brown gave his starters the night off on the second night of a back-to-back, but it doesn’t really matter who’s on the floor when the Raptors can score 86 first-half points like they did tonight. The biggest contributor to the incredible offensive flow was seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard, who scored 21 points in his first game as a Raptor since 2019. He only played in the first half, but that was good enough for Toronto to develop a 39-point lead going into the third quarter. 

Obviously, Leonard didn’t account for all of those points, but his presence definitely helped. The overall gravity he possesses opens up the floor for his teammates to find much easier looks. Let’s make sure credit is given to the other guys, though. Specifically, Scottie Barnes appears to be evolving into the offensive player that Raptors fans were hoping for. Hitting contested fadeaways and pull-up shots in the midrange, showing off post work in the paint, and beating guys off the dribble to attack the basket were all ways Barnes was able to dominate. 

The overall ability to hit jumpshot after jumpshot was undeniable, and being able to display that confidence in the fourth quarter of important games will be a substantial difference maker if it is maintained. Putting it all together against starting units should leave no doubt for him to earn his first All-NBA selection this season.

RJ Barrett was able to continue his impressive scoring output in Toronto’s third preseason game as well. Although he was inefficient in the opener against the Miami Heat, he has been one of the leading scorers in every contest thus far, potentially foreshadowing what’s to come as he pursues a new contract next summer. Ja’Kobe Walter showed off his quick trigger as he seemingly took an attempt any time he got the chance, which the Raptors will desperately need from him off the bench. 

Another impactful development came from the jumpshooting of Collin Murray-Boyles. This aspect limited him from being a dynamic offensive player last season, but adding that to complement his aggressiveness towards the basket is going to be especially dangerous next to Barnes and Leonard. He hit both a pull-up and catch-and-shoot three in the first half, showing off a much smoother stroke than his rookie season.