Raptors and Knicks Set the Stage for a Playoff-Style Clash
If you’ve been tracking the build-up to this Raptors vs. Knicks matchup, you already know it feels less like a regular-season game and more like a dress rehearsal for the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Toronto landed in New York right after a gruelling loss, barely catching its breath before stepping into Madison Square Garden for what many are already calling a preview of December 9th — the night these two teams will battle for a trip to Las Vegas.
This meeting carries weight for both sides. For the Raptors, it’s a genuine test of where they stand in the Eastern Conference. A lot has been said about their soft November schedule, and this is their toughest challenge yet. And with the history between these two franchises — especially after that blockbuster trade three years ago — there’s an added layer of emotion. Only Immanuel Quickley is available from the trio involved in that trade, but he enters the game with every reason to play with a little extra fire.
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Quickley’s importance becomes even clearer when you look at how he’s matched up with the Knicks since the move. In three games against his former team, he’s shot efficiently from both the field and from deep. His role becomes even bigger tonight because the Knicks’ defence, which hasn’t been as sturdy as usual, tends to give up a high volume of three-point attempts. If Toronto’s spacing is going to click, Quickley is front and centre.
On the other side, there’s the Jalen Brunson factor — but tonight he faces a Toronto defence that has quietly become one of the best in the league. The Raptors haven’t allowed a team to crack 120 points in their last 10 games, even with an overtime battle mixed in. They have been consistent in throwing traps at star playmakers, forcing role players to make decisions. The list of point guards whose scoring has dipped against Toronto lately is long, and the drop-offs have been dramatic. Even though Brunson has stepped up in OG Anunoby’s absence, this matchup doesn’t favour him, especially with how often Toronto takes away that mid-range zone he relies on.
And speaking of OG, the Knicks will once again be without him. His left hamstring strain hasn’t healed enough for him to return, and he’ll be reevaluated later. New York has managed to stay steady without him, winning four of their last six, but his absence still leaves a defensive and spacing gap.
Karl-Anthony Towns is the Knick most likely to exploit Toronto tonight. With strong rebounding numbers all season and favourable matchups against Toronto’s frontcourt — especially on a back-to-back where Jakob Poeltl’s minutes may be managed — Towns is positioned to have a big night. He’s grabbed double-digit boards in nearly every game this year, and last season he averaged over 14 rebounds per game in four meetings with the Raptors.
So here we are: a rivalry game, a playoff preview, a revenge angle, and two teams eyeing the same prize. Everything about this matchup feels heightened, and that’s exactly why tonight’s showdown has captured so much attention.
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