Gameday: Knicks @ Raptors, January 28
After a successful five-game western road trip, the Toronto Raptors return home for a quick pit stop and try to extend their win streak to five games before another game on the road. Will the wins continue?
Raptors Outlook
Record: 29-19 | 4th in Eastern Conference
Offensive Rating: 114.0 (17th) | Defensive Rating: 112.0 (5th) | Net Rating: +2.1 (12th)
Raptors previous results
@ Thunder W 103-101
@ Trail Blazers W 110-98
@ Kings W 122-109
@ Warriors W 145-127
@ Lakers L 110-93
Toronto is flying as high as they have been for almost the entire season, having previously reached a season high by securing the two seed in the Eastern Conference during their nine-game win streak, but that was quite early in the season. This is a huge matchup against the New York Knicks, who are right ahead of them by the slimmest margin for the third seed. The two teams have been trading seeds day in and out recently, and the Knicks hold a two-zero lead so far in the five-game season series. In fact, ever since the Raptors kick-started the rebuild around the time they traded Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, the Knicks have had their number, but could tomorrow be a shift in the tide of the rivalry as Toronto looks to be back at a very respectable state right now. After this game, Toronto makes a quick trip to Florida to play the Orlando Magic before returning home for good and having a five-game homestand.
Knicks Outlook
Record: 28-18 | 3rd in Eastern Conference
Offensive Rating: 118.7 (3rd) | Defensive Rating: 114.4 (16th) | Net Rating: +4.3 (7th)
Knicks previous results
vs Kings W 103-87
@ 76ers W 112-109
vs Nets W 120-66
vs Mavericks L 114-97
vs Suns L 106-99
New York spent most of the season in the two and three seeds, but recently, they’ve been kind of leaking oil. Even though they are coming into this one off a three-game win streak, they’ve only won five games out of their last ten. The Eastern Conference landscape was as weak as ever coming into the season, as Jayson Tatum suffered an injury in last season’s playoffs and hasn’t played since, and the same for Tyrese Haliburton, who haunted New York in the Eastern Conference Finals. It looked like New York’s chance to secure a top seed and make a trip to the NBA finals, but the season is still long, and they have time to steer the ship back in the right direction. The Knicks do come into this game off a back-to-back, having played the Sacramento Kings last night, so we’ll see if they show any signs of fatigue tonight. New York’s injury report isn’t official yet, so we’ll go off their last night’s report from theScore app for injuries and the projected starting lineup.
Game Info
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. ET
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: TSN Radio 1050
Venue: Scotiabank Arena
Starting Lineups (Projected)
New York Knicks
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Mikal Bridges
SF: OG Anunoby
PF: Josh Hart
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
Toronto Raptors
PG: Immanuel Quickley
SG: RJ Barrett
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Scottie Barnes
C: Sandro Mamukelashvili
Injury Report
Toronto Raptors
Jakob Poeltl (Lower Back Strain) – Out
A.J. Lawson (G-League Assignment) – Out
Alijah Martin (G-League Assignment) – Out
Chucky Hepburn (G-League Assignment) – Out
Collin Murray-Boyles (Left Thumb Contusion) – Questionable
New York Knicks
Dillon Jones (G-League Assignment) – Out
Kevin McCullar (G-League Assignment) – Out
Trey Jemison (G-League Assignment) – Out
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