Kawhi Leonard’s first preseason game back in Toronto looked like the kind of tune-up the Raptors wanted: a brief run, a clean shooting line and a reminder of what he can still do when he’s on the floor.
It also came against a Knicks team that did not bring its starters to Scotiabank Arena.
That split is what makes Tuesday night easy to read in two different ways. Leonard’s return was real — his first appearance for the Raptors since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, and his first game for Toronto since being traded back from the Los Angeles Clippers this past summer. But the 148-98 final, and the way Toronto built an 86-47 halftime lead, came against a New York lineup that was missing its top group, including veteran bench pieces Landry Shamet, Andre Drummond and Jordan Clarkson.
Leonard still gave Toronto exactly the kind of first look it wanted. In 17 minutes, he scored 21 points on 6-for-12 shooting, hit 4 of 8 from three-point range and added five rebounds. For a player who last season attempted eight or more threes in only 27.7 percent of his games, the volume stood out as much as the accuracy.
The Raptors used their normal starting lineup, which now includes Leonard, and the early returns were strong enough to make the night feel like more than just a ceremonial debut. Scottie Barnes added 19 points, and Toronto shot 57.3 percent from the field while rolling to a 50-point win.
Still, the opponent matters here. The Knicks were playing the second leg of a back-to-back and chose to sit their starters, leaving the game to players trying to earn larger roles and roster spots. As one account put it, “It didn’t get much better in the second half, as the Knicks backups looked overmatched going against a playoff team that just added a superstar to its ranks.”
That is the tension in Leonard’s return: the performance was encouraging, but it was not a full-strength measuring stick.
Rajakovic said Leonard’s minutes would be limited, but that it was important for him to integrate with the team. Toronto did that while still leaning on the kind of offensive burst that can make a preseason game look lopsided in a hurry. Leonard’s 21 points came in a short window, and his presence helped the Raptors get to halftime with a margin that made the rest of the night mostly about managing minutes.
The larger question now is the one this game could not answer. Leonard looked sharp, and Toronto looked overwhelming, but the next test will come when the Raptors see what that combination looks like against a team that actually has its starters on the floor.