The Knicks do not need much history to give this matchup extra weight. They have already turned the Raptors into a familiar opponent, and on Sunday in Toronto they will try to extend that pattern to 13 straight wins. That is the kind of streak that changes how a game feels before the opening tip, even if the standings and the schedule insist it is just another regular-season date.
New York arrives at Scotiabank Arena with some momentum of its own. On Friday, Karl-Anthony Towns posted 23 points and 15 rebounds against Indiana, while Jalen Brunson finished with 33 points and 11 assists. That combination has been a useful reminder of why the Knicks can travel well: they have two players who can shape a game in different ways, and they have enough structure around them to make that star power matter.
The last regular-season meeting between these teams came on April 10, when the Knicks beat Toronto 112-95. That result fit the broader trend, not an outlier. The Raptors have lost three in a row, and the gap in recent meetings has been wide enough to make New York the clear favorite again. The one thing that could complicate the picture is Scottie Barnes, who is dealing with a groin injury and has missed the last four contests. His status is a game-time decision, and that matters because Toronto’s offense looks different when he is available to organize possessions and create from multiple spots on the floor.
What the numbers say about the matchup
The statistical profile around Toronto suggests why the Raptors have struggled to keep pace. They have allowed 27 points off turnovers in one recent loss, a number that speaks to how quickly games can get away from them when possession breaks down. By contrast, New York has been built on steadier production and cleaner offensive structure. Brunson and Towns are not just scoring threats; they also make it easier for the Knicks to survive stretches when the shot quality is not ideal.
There is still a reason to be careful about treating this as a foregone conclusion. Toronto has shown enough offensive skill this season to sit at 114.2 points per game, with a 115.3 offensive rating, a 113.9 defensive rating, 28.1 assists per game and 10.6 steals per game. Those are not the numbers of a team without potential. But potential is not the same thing as consistency, and a 6-6 team that has dropped three straight has to prove it can turn those flashes into something repeatable.
That is why Barnes looms so large. Even when he is not scoring at the top of the box score, his presence changes the way Toronto can function. He has produced 21.3 points, 31 points and 14 rebounds in recent samples, and his playmaking touch has given the Raptors a way to pressure defenses from the forward spot. If he is available, Toronto at least has a chance to make the game more awkward for New York.
Still, the Knicks have the more convincing case. They are the more stable team, the more reliable late-game team and the team with the stronger recent evidence in this matchup. Unless Toronto can get Barnes back and immediately change the rhythm of the game, the burden stays on the Raptors to prove they can end a streak that has already lasted long enough to become its own storyline.
Sunday is only one game, but it carries a simple question. Are the Knicks still the team Toronto cannot solve, or is this finally the night the pattern breaks?
