The Toronto Raptors wanted to win this game. The New York Knicks didn’t. On Thursday night, everyone got what they wanted.
The game itself wasn’t particularly close. Toronto jumped out to a 12 point lead by the end of the first quarter, thanks to a balanced offensive effort which saw all five starters score at least two points. By the half, the lead had grown to 19.
As the Raptors started to shuffle out their starters near the end of the third quarter, everyone knew they weren’t going to return. Toronto got to try out a few different lineups and play designs.