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Match details:
New York Knicks (14-56) vs Toronto Raptors (49-21)
19th March 2019, 5:00am IST
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Canada
Head to head (Regular season):
Matches played: 91 matches
New York Knicks: 41 games won
Toronto Raptors: 50 games won
Match Overview:
The New York Knicks travel to the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada to take on the Toronto Raptors in a game that is of little consequence to the Knicks but would mean a lot to the Raptors if they are to get a win and move closer to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Toronto Raptors have been great all season long, currently 2nd in the Eastern Conference with a 49-21 record. They are 3 games behind the top seed Milwaukee Bucks and have won just 5 of their last 10 matches.
On the other hand, the New York Knicks have the current worst record in the NBA and are looking to be a force in the 2019 offseason, with this one being inconsequential. They have a 14-56 record and have won 2 of their last 10 matches.
In their last match, the Toronto Raptors suffered a 107-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons in an exciting match.
In their most recent game, the New York Knicks beat a struggling Los Angeles Lakers at the Madison Square Garden, 124-123.
Injuries:
New York Knicks: Point guards Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina are considered day to day with a back and a groin injury respectively. Forward Noah Vonleh is day to day with an ankle injury.
Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry is considered day to day with an ankle injury while Serge Ibaka is suspended until March 20th.
Players to watch out for:
New York Knicks: Emmanuel Mudiay:
Emmanuel Mudiay was considered a bust after his 3 seasons with the Denver Nuggets, where he failed to perform even as a backup point guard. He then moved to the New York Knicks and this season has been his to perform as he got the starting nod over a lot of point guards on that roster and has made it his own.
Ever since Smith Jr. has gone down injured, Mudiay has again begun to play really well. He is averaging a career-high 14.5 points, 3.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds a game. He was amazing last night against the Los Angeles Lakers and if he keeps playing this way the Raptors need to shut him down if they want to get a win over the lowly New York Knicks.
Last game stats: 28 points, 8-11 FG, 8 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, and 4 TOs against the Los Angeles Lakers
Toronto Raptors: Kawhi Leonard:
Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players in the NBA right now. The Raptors traded their franchise cornerstone in DeMar DeRozan to try and hunt for the NBA title this season and rapidly increase their chances with Kawhi as he has just this season.
He has been absolutely solid for them ever since moving here, playing some superb basketball. He is averaging 27.1 points per game, along with 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists, along with superb defensive numbers of 1.8 steals a game.
His game has carried the Raptors through a lot this season with the number of injuries they have had to deal with and they will need him at his best to dispatch the New York Knicks without any complications.
Last game stats: 33 points, 11-21 FG, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 1 TO against the Detroit Pistons
Predicted starting lineups:
New York Knicks: Emmanuel Mudiay (G), Damyean Dotson (G), Mario Hezonja (F), Kevin Knox (F), DeAndre Jordan (C)
Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet (G), Danny Green (G), Kawhi Leonard (F), Pascal Siakam (F), Marc Gasol (C)
Predicted match result: Toronto Raptors beat the New York Knicks
The Toronto Raptors have too much quality to face any problems from the New York Knicks even without Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka. They have a returning VanVleet who will boost their game and the New York Knicks do not possess enough star power to overcome the 2nd placed Raptors and it will not even be in their best interests right now to win.
