Toronto Beat the Knicks by 50. Kawhi Being Back Makes It Even Wilder.

Toronto put 148 points on New York. The Knicks scored 98. That's a 50-point preseason ass-whooping, and it happened the same night Kawhi Leonard walked back into Scotiabank Arena wearing a Raptors jersey.

Leonard scored 21 points with five rebounds and two steals in just under 17 minutes, according to CityNews and his NBA player page. Toronto also got 15 points from Scottie Barnes. The Raptors led 86–47 by halftime and didn't need a heroic finish to put this game away.

What matters here

Now for the part you can't skip: Mike Brown rested New York's regular starters after a back-to-back. James Wiseman, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, was one of the reserves who got an extended look. New York's second and third units were not being asked to beat the full Raptors lineup.

I don't give Toronto a championship ring for destroying a preseason bench. But I absolutely look at New York's roster candidates and wonder what those minutes did for their arguments to make the team. If you're trying to earn trust, giving up 148 is a bad damn audition.

My take

Kawhi looking sharp is the bigger Toronto story. This fan base remembers 2019. It's too soon to project another title, but not too soon to say that return looked good.