Raptors must solve Knicks, Timberwolves to make statement

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This week could tell us a lot about if these Toronto Raptors are making much progress.

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Sure, easy wins against bad or mediocre teams are an improvement over what we’ve seen the last two years, but the next step remains trying to figure out how to beat top opponents.

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Two such foes are on deck. First on Tuesday, it’s a New York Knicks team that has had Toronto’s number more than anybody else in recent years. New York has won 12 of 15 since 2022-23, including 11 straight, nine of those since the blockbuster deal that sent OG Anunoby to the Knicks for Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. Only one of those 11 in the streak were even close (within five points).

Most often, the Knicks beat up on the Raptors, using their decided size advantage (Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, Anunoby, Mikal Bridges) to great advantage. Towns has averaged 15.3 rebounds per game in the three Knicks wins this season, Robinson had 15 boards last time out, Anunoby’s averaged 19.5 points, a whopping four steals and shot 52% from the field against his former team, while Bridges has shot 61.5% against them in the three meetings, which including an NBA Cup elimination game beat-down.

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Top Knick Jalen Brunson has averaged 22 points and shot 47.5% against the Raptors this season.

Poeltl’s return could help

Adjustments will need to be made. One could simply be having Jakob Poeltl. He only suited up for one of those three games, though it’s unclear if Collin Murray-Boyles will be able to play after hurting his thumb again two games ago.

Toronto’s defence has been close to elite this season, ranking sixth overall, two spots ahead of the Knicks, but they haven’t been at that level when facing New York. That shouldn’t be too surprising given the aforementioned size discrepancy and since the Knicks score more points per 100 possessions than all but two other teams.

The Knicks will also be riding into Toronto on a high, having won four of five, including Sunday’s home blowout of the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs had won 11 straight, but struggled against New York’s physicality and had trouble with the bigger wings in Bridges and Anunoby.

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The Knicks moved within a game of Boston for second in the conference, though the Celtics might soon get superstar Jayson Tatum back, something few expected to happen this season. Toronto has not beaten either team this year and is 1-12 against the NBA’s best seven teams (the one win was a surprise at Oklahoma City against the defending champions). They’re 11-18 against teams .500 or above.

That includes Minnesota, who the Raptors will travel to meet Thursday. The Wolves broke a 22-year streak of losses at Toronto on Feb. 4 with an 18-point third quarter comeback. Like the Knicks, they picked up an impressive win Sunday, taking down Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Denver on the road. The Wolves have won three straight at home against Toronto.

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The Raptors could turn some heads and provide some proof they’re still capable of levelling up with strong performances in either of these upcoming games.

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BRIGHT SIDE OF THE RAPTORS

Taking a look at some positive developments recently for the Raptors:

— Quickley is playing some of his best basketball as a Raptor lately. He’s averaged 20.6 points, 5.4 assists and shooting 51% from the field, including 38.7% on three-point attempts over his last eight games.

Poeltl’s return has helped. He sets the best screens on the team, helping provide Quickley with more space, and is also a nice, big outlet for Quickley when opponents try to prevent his drives. The duo also has great timing on pick-and-rolls.

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— Poeltl was out a long time due to his back injury and didn’t look quite right in his first two games upon returning in limited minutes. That has not been the case at all in the last three. Poeltl has been at least plus-14 in each of those ones, has hit 15 of 22 shots, surprisingly nine of 10 free throws (the 56% career shooter is at 64.4% for the season after going for a career-best 67.4% at the line last year) and has been hauling in more than three offensive rebounds per game over his last three. Poeltl is shooting a career high from the field and also posting his highest true shooting percentage this season.

— Head coach Darko Rajakovic let his team know their performance was not acceptable at halftime against Washington Saturday, Quickley revealed in his walkout interview with TSN post-game. That’s a good thing. Rajakovic tends to stay positive, though not as much as he presents to the public as he likes to keep most things in house, but he had to make a point here against an awful opponent.

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“First half, we did not play up to our standards and that’s what we always compare us to,” Rajakovic told reporters in Washington. “Everyone can have a bad half, a bad quarter. It’s important the team reacted really well.”

Quickley had laughed that it had been a while since Rajakovic lit the team up like he did.

— The Raptors shot 34% on three-pointers in the first 50 games of the season. They’ve hit 38.2% in the 10 games since. RJ Barrett’s gone from 28.9% three-point shooting in eight January games to 36.8% in nine in February. Quickley was 39.1% on threes in January, an elite 43.4% in February.

X: @WolstatSun

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