The Atlantic’s top team, the Toronto Raptors (53-26), travel to Madison Square Garden to challenge the division rival New York Knicks (32-48). The game begins at 7:30 pm ET on Sunday, Apr. 10 and will air on MSG and SNT.
The Knicks defeated the 76ers 109-102 on Friday. Robin Lopez played a key role, recording his 15th double-double of the season with 24 points and 15 rebounds. The Raptors, meanwhile, are coming off a 111-98 win over the Pacers on Friday. Cory Joseph played well for Toronto, accumulating 18 points, nine assists, and one steal.
The Raptors should minimize miscues in this matchup. They rank fourth in the NBA at avoiding errors (turnover percentage of 12.9%). Meanwhile, the Knicks force the fewest mistakes in the league, with just 11.3% of opponents’ possessions ending in a turnover.
The Raptors lead the season series against the Knicks two games to one, including a 122-95 blowout in their last matchup. Kyle Lowry put up a triple-double in the victory, with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
The Knicks are looking to improve on their records of 32-48 Straight Up (SU) and 43-36-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 11-2 SU and 9-4 ATS against teams from their own division. The Knicks have seen an uptick in scoring against teams inside their division, averaging 105.8 points per game. They average 98.6 points per game on the season. New York has been steady from the free throw line, shooting a stellar .804.
On the other side, Toronto has a SU record of 53-26 and an ATS record of 42-36-1. When traveling to face teams in its division, Toronto has a record of 5-3 ATS. However, the Raptors only managed a SU record of 3-5 in those games. The Raptors get to the line and convert their free throws at a high volume, ranking second in the league with 1,666 made (21.0 per game). The Raptors are one of the top defensive teams in the league, essentially shutting down opponents to the tune of 98.3 points allowed per game. Taking care of the basketball is something the Raptors do very well, averaging just 12.2 turnovers per game.
In their previous meeting this season, Toronto beat New York, bumping its SU record over the last 10 meetings to 6-4. On the other hand, with a 7-3 record, the Knicks have the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – Tor
Notes
New York averages 98.6 points per game, placing the team just 26th in the league. Toronto ranks fourth in points allowed, giving up 98.3 points per game.
New York averages 98.6 points per home game, placing the team just 26th in the league. Toronto ranks third in points allowed on the road, giving up 98.3 points per away game.
The New York Knicks have a 21-18 record when their opponents score fewer than 100 points. The Toronto Raptors have a 13-11 record when failing to hit triple digits.
The New York Knicks have a subpar 11-30 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The Toronto Raptors are 40-15 when they hit triple digits.
The Knicks have an offensive rating of 102.9 (ranked 24th). The Raptors rank 11th for their defensive rating of 103.4.
The New York Knicks average 95.8 possessions per game and 1.029 points per possession, while the Toronto Raptors earn fewer possessions (95.1) but more points per possession (1.079).
The New York Knicks average an effective field goal percentage of 48.4% this season. The Toronto Raptors have split their games 25-25 when opponents have an EFF% of 48.4% or greater.
On average, the New York Knicks make 20.5 assists per game and the Toronto Raptors make 18.6. New York is ranked 26th, while Toronto is ranked 29th.
New York makes an average of 5.7 blocks per game (ranked ninth), while Toronto makes 5.4 blocks per game (ranked 11th).
The New York Knicks rank 17th in offensive rebounding, while the Toronto Raptors rank 21st in defensive rebounding.
The New York Knicks make an average of 5.7 steals per game. When the Toronto Raptors allow 5 or more steals, they are a winning 40-15.
