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The New York Knicks visit the Scotiabank Arena to take on the Toronto Raptors in an enticing 2021-22 NBA season matchup on Sunday.
The Knicks have been in form recently and could be difficult to beat, having won five of their last eight games. However, New York suffered an 80-95 loss against the OKC Thunder in their previous outing, so they lack momentum coming into this game. The Knicks have now stumbled to a 17-19 record this season.
Meanwhile, the Raptors took full advantage of their key players returning from covid protocols in their last match. They beat the short-handed LA Clippers 116-108, improving their record to 15-17 for the season.
Match Details
Fixture: New York Knicks vs Toronto Raptors | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Sunday, January 2nd; 3:30 PM ET (Monday, January 3rd; 2:00 AM).
Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON.
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks have done a commendable job of turning things around over the last two weeks. They have improved in several areas, including defense, managing to concede only 92.5 points on average over their last four games.
The Knicks' offense has dipped and they haven't been shooting the ball as well as they can. It ended up being a key reason behind their loss to the Thunder in their last match.
With Julius Randle, Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose all on the sidelines, New York had one of their worst outings on the offensive end. They made only 37% of their shots, had 12 team assists and eight made shots from the arc on 41 attempts. The Knicks also converted only 12 of 22 shots from the charity stripe.
The New York Knicks will be even more short-handed against the Toronto Raptors. Center Mitchell Robinson is the latest to join Julius Randle in the league's health and safety protocols, while Kemba Walker will also remain on the sidelines. The likes of Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin will have to step up to give Tom Thibodeau's men a decent chance of winning against the Raptors.
Key Player - Obi Toppin
Obi Toppin will have his task cut out against the Toronto Raptors. The New York Knicks will need him to be at his lethal best on the boards. The Knicks will be without Randle, Robinson and Nerlens Noel for this contest. Toppin's main challenge would be to limit Pascal Siakam. He will also have to do an efficient job on the boards and help his team capitalize on second-chance opportunities.
Toronto Raptors Preview
The Toronto Raptors will be looking to make the most of having a healthy roster. They have almost all their starters back except Scottie Barnes, who is listed as probable for this game.
The Raptors had their 'big-three' firing on all cylinders in their previous outing against the Clippers. Fred VanVleet had 31 points and nine assists, OG Anunonby had 26 points, and Pascal Siakam finished with 25 points and 19 rebounds. Toronto used their size advantage, outrebounding their opponents 54-37, which also allowed them to score the majority of their 21 second-chance points.
The Toronto Raptors will once again face a depleted roster when they take on the New York Knicks. They outhustled the Clippers to win their previous match and will have to replicate that performance to emerge victorious for the second game in a row.
Key Player - Pascal Siakam
The Toronto Raptors look pretty solid when their leader Pascal Siakam is on song. Siakam's output eases the pressure on the likes of VanVleet and Anunoby, allowing them to play more freely. The two are still finding their rhythm after lengthy layoffs due to COVID and hip injuries, respectively. With Randle not available for the New York Knicks, Siakam could be in for yet another monster outing.
Predicted Lineups
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard: Miles McBride; Shooting Guard: Evan Fournier; Small Forward: RJ Barrett; Power Forward: Obi Toppin; Center: Taj Gibson.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
Point Guard: Fred VanVleet; Shooting Guard: Gary Trent Jr.; Small Forward: OG Anunoby Power Forward: Scottie Barnes; Center: Pascal Siakam.
Knicks vs Raptors Match Prediction
The New York Knicks may struggle to find their form in this game because of the absence of three regular starters. The Toronto Raptors, meanwhile, are almost at full strength. They also have momentum and homecourt advantage on their side. These factors make Toronto the favorites to win this clash.
Where to watch Knicks vs Raptors
MSG and TSN will provide local coverage of the game between the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors. Fans can also view the match online via NBA League Pass.
