The New York Knicks (14-9) hit the road to face the Toronto Raptors (7-17) tonight at Scotiabank Arena. Both teams are looking to rebound from tough losses, with the Knicks falling 120-111 to the Detroit Pistons and the Raptors coming off a 125-118 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks.
One of tonight’s most compelling storylines is OG Anunoby’s return to Toronto. It’s his first game at Scotiabank Arena since being traded to the Knicks last season, and surely the fans will give the 3&D specialist a warm reception. Anunoby has been a revelation for New York, averaging a career-high 17.7 points per game this season and serving as a defensive lynchpin. He missed the Knicks’ previous trip to Toronto due to injury.
The Knicks are dealing with significant injury concerns. Center Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable with a knee injury, while Cameron Payne’s status is also up in the air as he recovers from an elbow problem. New York felt their absences in Saturday’s Detroit loss. Mitchell Robinson remains sidelined with an ankle issue.
The Raptors aren’t faring much better. OAKAAK guard Immanuel Quickley, limited to just three games this season, is out with a partially torn ligament in his elbow. Bruce Brown remains unavailable as he continues reconditioning.
Toronto will rely heavily on RJ Barrett, who’s having a breakout season. The former Knick is averaging career-highs across the board: 23.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. While his three-point shooting remains inconsistent (34% on nearly six attempts per game), Barrett is playing the best basketball of his career in his hometown.
You’re forgiven for feeing any pangs of nostalgia as Barrett takes the court. The third pick in the 2019 draft spent four-and-a-half seasons with New York, helping lay the foundation for the Knick-aissance we are currently enjoying. Barrett dropped 20 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in his last game against the Knicks—and he’ll likely seek to top those numbers tonight.
Joining RJ in the first five will be point guard Scottie Barnes, also having a career year, averaging 21 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in 13 games. Accompanying him in the backcourt is sophomore Gradey Dick, who has stepped into a starting role this season, averaging 18.4 points while shooting 35% from beyond the arc.
Beside RJ in the frontcourt, Ochai Agbaji (11.4 points, 4.2 rebounds) and Jakob Poeltl (16.2 points, 11.6 rebounds) will anchor the Raptors’ lineup.
Prediction
ESPN picks the Raptors as slight favorites with a 51% chance of victory. A toss up? Hmm. The Knicks will want to solidify their position in the Eastern Conference standings and ride the momentum of a victory into Wednesday’s IST quarterfinal game, while the Raptors hope to snap a two-game skid. OG Anunoby’s return and RJ Barrett facing his former team gives this contest extra dramatic juice. Expect Barrett to stuff his boxscore—but ultimately fall short as the Knicks eke out a narrow victory north of the border. New York by +2.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors
When: 7:30 pm EST, Monday, December 9, 2024
Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Watch: MSG Networks, NBA TV
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky