Unfortunately for Raptors Nation, Toronto's dominant winning ways have come to an end, as the team now faces a two-game losing streak after setbacks against the Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks. It's hard to come down from that jubilant high, especially as Toronto was able to string together nine-straight victories in a winning stretch that has eluded the Raptors for several seasons now.
Knicks hand Raptors another crushing blow in back-to-back losses
While it was inevitable for the streak to end, the circumstances of their loss to Charlotte on November 29 were disappointing, and heading into the Knicks game on November 30, expectations were fairly low, considering New York stands out as one of the Eastern Conference's elite squads and Toronto was without their veteran anchor Jakob Poeltl. I believe this matchup was Toronto’s first true test against a seasoned and formidable opponent, even after facing fairly strong teams like Philadelphia and Cleveland earlier in their winning streak.
Toronto's starters struggled very early on, giving up a 21-point lead in the first quarter, which ultimately ended as a 19-point lead for the Knicks headed into the second quarter. The Knicks got hot from distance right away, with a huge boost from guard Miles McBride, who went 4-for-5 on his three-pointers during the opening stretch. The first quarter alone reveals a lopsided story: New York shot 16-for-24 overall and 9-for-14 from three, while the Raptors struggled at 9-for-24 and just 1-for-8 from beyond the arc.
To their credit, the Raptors fought back in the second quarter with 30 points and cut the lead to just seven at halftime, with the score reading 59-52 in favor of the Knicks. Despite some hot shooting sparks from Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, Toronto just couldn’t keep pace with the relentless Knicks, who dominated the glass with 61 rebounds to the Raptors’ 40. New York also capitalized on second-chance opportunities, outscoring the Raptors 22 to nine in that category.
Similarly, although Brandon Ingram's performance wasn't as clearly a sign of his responsibility as it was in the Hornets matchup, he didn't have a strong night either, but I won't criticize it too harshly since this was the second night of a back-to-back. This isn't really about blaming any one reason or person; rather, it's a sneak peek of what the Raptors will face on December 9 at home in the NBA Cup Eastern Conference quarterfinals. A harsh reality of sorts.
The Knicks are the real deal. Sure, people are still split on whether they're real NBA title contenders, but they're easily one of those "murderer's row" opponents that the Raptors have been dreading. Toronto's lost a crucial edge without Jakob Poeltl, as seen in the rebounding gap, and RJ Barrett's injury is no longer just a call for someone to step up, but a reminder of how costly his absence truly is. They will desperately need him for the high-stakes game, and early reports suggest he should be healthy by that time, but ultimately, it's not just RJ Barrett who will be the savior.
It appears the Raptors' chemistry and cohesion have dipped in these last two games, whether due to fatigue from back-to-back schedules or missing key players in their lineup, Toronto cannot afford weak offensive performances like scoring only 94 points against a fierce powerhouse like New York. Additionally, there were too many instances of poor communication on defense, with players seeming unsure of their positions, sending help at the wrong times, and allowing uncontested baskets.
Toronto has ample tape and time to fine-tune their schemes for New York before December 9 and with home court advantage they can address any remaining issues and be ready for the challenge.