Preseason results come with caveats, but 50-point margins still get a coach's attention. The Toronto Raptors ran away from the New York Knicks 148-98 in Toronto on Tuesday night, handing New York its fourth loss in four preseason outings.
The game got away from the Knicks' reserves, who could not slow Toronto's scoring once the rotations deepened. For a team with championship expectations this season, the concern is less the result than the defensive slippage that let a preseason game reach 148 points against.
Toronto, meanwhile, will take the confidence. A balanced, high-tempo performance at home is exactly the kind of rhythm a young roster wants a week before the regular season, even against an opponent managing minutes.
Both teams wrap up their exhibition schedules this week before opening night. The Knicks open their regular season against Philadelphia, and their coaching staff now has a clear, if uncomfortable, film session to work from.
