Kawhi Leonard put the Raptors jersey back on Tuesday night and Toronto ran the New York Knicks out of Scotiabank Arena, 148-98. In his preseason debut, Leonard scored 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting, hit 4 of 8 from three and added five rebounds and two steals in just 17 minutes, as ClutchPoints reported.
The Raptors led 42-22 after one quarter and dropped another 44 in the second. Leonard started next to Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl. To be fair to New York, the Knicks sat Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Backup guard Jamal Shead, who had five points and five assists, said Leonard is “getting used to playing with us” and is “fitting right in.” Leonard himself said he still needs time to ramp up before he’s fully active.
The IAHHM Take
You can’t write the Kawhi story without 2019. The shot over Embiid. The bounces. The parade. He gave Toronto its only title and then left for home, and now he’s back looking for a fresh start after a messy exit from the Clippers.
Preseason numbers against a Knicks team in sweats don’t prove much. What matters is the shape of it: 21 points in 17 minutes on low usage and no wasted motion. That’s still Kawhi. If he stays on the floor, Toronto’s young core of Barnes, Barrett and Quickley suddenly has a closer.
The two teams run it back Thursday at Madison Square Garden, with more of the Knicks’ starters likely to play.
Real question: is this a feel-good reunion, or are the Raptors a real problem in the East if Kawhi stays healthy? Tell us where you stand.
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Source: ClutchPoints
