Raptors Look to Extend Preseason Momentum at Madison Square Garden

Toronto brings a 2-1 preseason record and Kawhi Leonard's re-debut buzz into a rematch with a winless Knicks team.

TOR @ NYK Oct 15, 2026 at 11:30 PM UTC

The scoreboard from Tuesday says Toronto routed New York 148-98, but the context matters in this preseason rematch. Knicks coach Mike Brown used only bench players on the second night of a back-to-back, so that loss, which dropped New York to 0-4 in the preseason, says more about depth than about the team's ceiling. Toronto is 2-1 and has the more settled momentum, but a 50-point margin is not a fair baseline for this game.

The biggest storyline remains Kawhi Leonard. He scored 21 points in the first half of his first game as a Raptor since 2019, and his minutes appear to be limited. That makes his efficiency more important than his volume. If he gets early touches and gives Toronto a reliable half-court option, the Raptors can survive stretches when he sits.

The supporting cast looks just as important. RJ Barrett, who got significant minutes against his old team, has been one of Toronto's leading scorers in every preseason game. Scottie Barnes is also drawing attention for a broader offensive game, with contested fadeaways, midrange pull-ups and post work in the paint. If Barnes can create next to Leonard, Toronto will have more than one reliable source of offense. Hamstring concerns around Chucky Hepburn and Tony Bradley leave their availability uncertain, which could thin out the rotation.

New York should be sharper than it was in the lopsided loss, and the Garden crowd will give it a boost. Still, Toronto has the clearer scoring structure, with Leonard, Barrett and Barnes all producing. I expect a much tighter game than Tuesday's, with the Raptors holding on late.

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