For a franchise-worst 12th consecutive time, including seven straight at home, the Raptors came up short against one of their most formidable foes, the Knicks on March 3. It looked like a nail-biter at one point in the fourth, with the game within a two-point reach for Toronto, but New York rallied and pulled away for a comfortable 111-95 victory.
On Toronto's side of the affair, it was the Brandon Ingram show for most of the night. BI finished with a game-high and team-high 31 points, along with four assists, two rebounds, one steal, and one block. 26 of those points came in just the first half, and it was the first quarter when BI exploded for 16 points on 5-for-7 shooting. We've seen BI's work help Toronto secure a victory during an offensive rut against the Bulls not too long ago. But one man's efforts aren't always enough to carry the team to victory, and the Raptors learned that lesson the hard way in this Knicks loss.
Elsewhere on Toronto's roster, former Knicks wing RJ Barrett found a solid groove in the fourth quarter. He scored nine points on 4-for-5 shooting before the Raptors' offense hit a wall — and that includes Ingram, who went 0-for-2. The Raptors got a quiet night from the usually blitzing Immanuel Quickley, who was just 4-for-14 with 13 points. Scottie Barnes also lacked an aggressive offensive edge, taking only nine field goal attempts and finishing with 14 points.
While these starters' underwhelming performances were certainly a disservice, what really stood out to me going into this Knicks game was the battle of bench production for both teams. The Knicks ran a tight nine-man rotation, and so did the Raptors. I knew New York had an imposing big in Mitchell Robinson, a sniper in Landry Shamet, an emerging wing in Mohamed Diawara, and Mr. "Grand Theft" Jose Alvarado himself. On Toronto's side, they’d be without Collin Murray-Boyles, leaving things to Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ja'Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and Jamison Battle (who played just over four minutes).
Here's what the bench production looked like after the game. The Knicks reserves scored 26 points, with Mitchell Robinson grabbing 10 rebounds and Landry Shamet and Mohamed Diawara each hitting two threes. For Toronto, Shead and Mamu combined for just eight points, shooting 1-for-4 and 1-for-6 respectively. Walter went 0-for-3 from the field but contributed two crucial steals, and Battle was a non-factor in his limited minutes.
Raptors' bench depth may not hold up in the postseason battle
Still, in a tough loss like this, it’s clear how having these weapons can be the difference between winning and losing. It’s even more obvious when key starters are struggling and it seems like Ingram has to carry the offensive load. Having one or two guys on the bench who can be huge x-factors gives a massive boost, and Toronto was just a step behind in that area.
Mind you, this is a Knicks squad still missing Miles McBride. They don't even give playing time to Jordan Clarkson or Jeremy Sochan anymore — two guys I believe can still be effective off the bench in certain sets.
However, I'm not suggesting the Raptors' bench is horrid by any means, hence my point of "subtle flaw." In fact, they've largely outperformed expectations with this emerging "Bench Mob 2.0" of sorts. But with that high regard comes a responsibility to deliver in high-pressure situations. The playoffs are an environment that rewards reserves who step up when called upon. A combined 2-for-13 overall from your bench simply won't cut it when opponents have proven threats and more polished veterans who can outclass a quiet night.
You also can't expect a bench unit to do too much, but it’s worth noting calling out the weak 2-for-13 shooting and lackluster defense from Mamu in this game. I’d like to think things could've looked a bit different with CMB in the rotation, but he's still a rookie, so expecting a lot from him would be unfair. That’s just the state of Raptors basketball: they’re top-heavy with their starters, and down the bench, they have to hope these inexperienced guys can handle pressure situations and step up. Otherwise, come playoff time, it’s going to be a steep climb.
The Raps have a fifth and final showdown scheduled for April 10 at Madison Square Garden: it's their last chance to secure a win over New York in the season series.