Raptors look to snap three-game skid with battle vs. Knicks on TSN
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The Toronto Raptors have dropped three straight games and will look to get back in the win column with a matchup against the New York Knicks on Monday night at Madison Square Garden on TSN.
Toronto's losing streak started Dec. 1 with a 119-106 defeat at home against the Knicks, where the New York bench dominated.
Point guard Donte DiVincenzo scored 21 - all from three-point range - and the Knicks won the bench scoring battle 52-25.
Scottie Barnes led the way with a game-high 29 points for Toronto (9-13) in the loss.
Barnes has been the bright spot for the Raptors in an inconsistent opening quarter of the season; he's averaging career highs in points (19.8), rebounds (9.2) and assists (5.6) per game through 22 contests this year.
Forward Pascal Siakam is the Raptors' leading scorer on the season (20.7 per game), and will look to keep rolling as he's scored 20 points or more in four straight contests.
The Knicks (12-9), meanwhile, enter Monday's game seventh in the Eastern Conference. New York has one of the top defences in the league, but have struggled at times on the offensive side.
Canadian forward RJ Barrett (19.1 points per game) is the third-leading scorer for New York behind Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, and he has traditionally had success against his hometown Raptors.
In 11 career games versus Toronto, Barrett has averaged 22.2 points per game, his second highest total against any single opponent in the NBA (his highest is 22.9 per game, against the San Antonio Spurs in seven contests). Barrett scored 15 in the win earlier in December.
Since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, the Raptors are 21-4 against the Knicks, and have won the season series against New York every season since 2013-14.
Otto Porter Jr. will be out of the lineup for Toronto with a foot injury. New York will be without centre Mitchell Robinson, while Brunson is listed as questionable for the game with an ankle injury.