The Toronto Raptors conclude the second night of a back-to-back in a fun matchup against the New York Knicks on Sunday.
While their mini two-game road trip got off to a disappointing start with a 118-111 overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, everyone will quickly move on if the Raptors can bounce back in this NBA Cup quarterfinal sneak peek.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. EST on TSN.
This is a uniquely fun situation, primarily because this will be the first meeting between the Raptors and the Knicks this season. With their single-game elimination NBA Cup game slated for Dec. 9, it’ll be fascinating to see how each team approaches the contest.
Both the Raptors and Knicks are likely to do whatever it takes to win, especially in a convoluted Eastern Conference. However, there’s an undeniable amount of strategic common sense for both coaching staffs to hold certain wrinkles back or keep specific counters in reserve.
Outside of the looming NBA Cup narrative, here are three more storylines to consider.
Scottie Barnes may be the most dynamic player on the roster, but Brandon Ingram holds the key to how far this year’s team can go. It begins and ends with what Ingram can do on the offensive end. Ingram is “gameplan-proof”. But when he goes cold as he did in the second half against the Hornets, it puts the Raptors in a precarious position.
Things get murkier when Ingram is attempting close to 30 shots in those games. Ingram is averaging 25.3 shots in the last three games. Before that, he was averaging 15.4 shots per contest. The increase coincides with RJ Barrett’s knee injury. Ingram averaged 17.6 attempts while with the New Orleans Pelicans, with his largest volume (18.6) coming during the 2022-23 season.
The shooting slump in Charlotte may end up being a blip on the radar, but while Barrett remains out, it’s vital that Ingram either maintains his efficiency or avoids doing too much to make up for when he’s having an off-night.
We’re close to seeing a mix somewhere on social media of Ingram getting stripped from his blindside near the free-throw line.
The Knicks sit just one game back of the Raptors and it’s primarily because they’ve bookended the month of November with stellar play. After beginning the month as winners of five straight games, the Knicks have their eyes set on concluding November with four consecutive victories.
Jalen Brunson is averaging 32.3 points in their last three victories, which includes a 129-101 win over the Hornets on Nov. 26. The usual suspects like Karl Anthony-Towns and Mikal Bridges deserve the Raptors’ attention on defence, but it’s Josh Hart and Miles McBridge that may surprise fans who haven’t been paying attention to the Knicks.
Hart is averaging a near triple-double over the last three games, with 16 points, 11.6 rebounds, and seven assists. He’s also chipping in 2.6 steals per game during this stretch. McBride is averaging 19 points on 10-of-12 shooting from three over the last two games.
The Knicks are a deep and dynamic bunch right now, and that’s without OG Anunoby.
Stranger Things Happen on Defence in the Clutch
While fully understanding that it was a single-game sample size, it’s worth pointing out that the Hornets targeted Immanuel Quickley during the late stages of their win. The Hornets attacked Quickley twice in the final two minutes of regulation, but it got worse in overtime.
Charlotte hunted Quickley on the first three possessions of the extra frame. Even with Barnes pre-switching to get in the pick-and-roll on the second possession of overtime, the Hornets ditched their top-of-the-arc action and went straight to where Quickley was.
When the Raptors deployed their typically successful duo of Quickley and Jamal Shead, the Hornets countered by involving both of them in screening actions. The Hornets may just be a poor matchup for the Raptors in these situations because they have strong non-big post-up options like Collin Sexton and Miles Bridges.
It’ll be fun to watch how the Raptors solve this puzzle over the course of the season, especially as teams find innovative ways to keep Barnes away from the action.
