Toronto Raptors vs New York Knicks Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Toronto Raptors are looking to stave off falling to .500 for the season.
• The New York Knicks are first in the East with a 5-1 record.
• The Knicks have won their last two meetings with Toronto after losing the previous nine.

Raptors vs Knicks Odds

Odds provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

The Knicks are off to a tremendous start, with just one loss on the season. While Toronto is on a good streak over their last three, their offence isn’t diverse enough to beat the Knicks’ backline consistently. Count on a low-scoring win for New York.

Picks:

New York Knicks def. Toronto Raptors (-260)

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Head-to-Head: Toronto Raptors vs New York Knicks

TOR: Who is the Raptors’ Star Player?

The Toronto Raptors have rebounded nicely from their 1-3 start to the season. However, throughout the opening weeks of the season, Toronto have struggled due to the inconsistency of their “star players”.

In fairness, Toronto are without All-Star Pascal Siakam. However, Fred Vanvleet and OG Anunoby, two players that were expected to make a huge leap this season, have struggled to find consistency through seven games.

Vanvleet and Anunoby combined for 31 points on a disappointing 12 of 27 shooting in their last game against the Indiana Pacers – while also shooting 5 of 14 from three. Against a hardy Knicks defence, a poor shooting night from the two would spell doom for Toronto.

Raptors Key Player: (F) Scottie Barnes

Took Scottie Barnes three dribbles for the full-court slam ? @brhoops pic.twitter.com/g0dbH552HW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 29, 2021

Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said that Scottie Barnes would get an extended look to open Toronto’s season, but nobody expected him to be their most productive player. Barnes is leading the Raptors in points and rebounds, while also putting in his early argument for Rookie of the Year.

Barnes is averaging 18.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 55.1% shooting from the field. His three-point shooting still needs work, but he’s shown a surprising mastery of the mid-range. He could certainly improve his ball security as he averages 2.4 turnovers per game.

The Knicks present Barnes with a difficult matchup in Julius Randle. Expect the rookie to be targeted early, so how he fares on the defensive end will be vital to his production on the other side of the court.

NYK: Swing the Ball!

The New York Knicks don’t just hit the three at a high rate, they also attempt them at a high volume. First in the league in three-point field goals and three-point field goal percentage, they’ll need to overcome a versatile Raptors defence.

Toronto runs a defensive style that allows them to switch at almost every position. New York are better than average at moving the ball, but they’ll be put to the test against this pesky Toronto defence.

Walker, Rose, Fournier, and Burks have been automatic from three this season – averaging 11.3 three-point field goals between them. If they want to beat the Toronto pressure, New York will need their wing rotation to be clinical from range.

Knicks Key Player: (C) Mitchell Robinson

Mitchell Robinson follows up for the slam ?

?: https://t.co/V0kkYEEIkG pic.twitter.com/AC86HctvSp

— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2021

The New York Knicks have one player that can shift the tempo of play in their favour against Toronto and that is Mitchell Robinson. The lanky shot-blocking specialist may be understated in the stats department, but he’ll be crucial in this game.

Robinson is averaging 8.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. However, against a Toronto Raptors team that doesn’t own a player over 6’9, Robinson needs to be assertive in the paint.

While New York have shifted toward finding opportunities on the perimeter, they’d be well served to provide opportunities for Robinson inside. Averaging just 4.2 field goal attempts per game, don’t be surprised to see Robinson blow past his averages on this night.

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