Barrett placed in concussion protocol, out as Raptors host Knicks on TSN
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As the red-hot Toronto Raptors look for their ninth win in 11 games Tuesday, they will have to do so without the services of star RJ Barrett.
The 24-year-old shooting guard/small forward was set for a meeting with Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks, but will now miss the contest against his former team after entering concussion protocol.
The Raptors (16-33) are coming off an impressive 115-108 win over Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday afternoon. RJ Barrett recorded a team-high 20 points, seven assists, and six rebounds in the victory.
Barrett, hailing from Mississauga, Ont., has enjoyed a breakout year in his first full season with the Raptors, averaging 21.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, all career-high marks. Barrett, a former third-overall selection of the Knicks in 2019, was sent to Toronto alongside Immanuel Quickley and a second-round pick in exchange for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn on Dec. 30, 2023.
The Raptors are winless in their past seven meetings against the Knicks, with Toronto's last victory coming over two years ago on Jan. 22, 2023.
The Knicks come into the matchup as winners in seven of their past eight, including a 124-118 victory over the upstart Houston Rockets on Monday.
Brunson, a starter for the upcoming All-Star Game, recorded a double-double in the win with 42 points and 10 assists. With the performance, he moved past Carmelo Anthony for third on the franchise list for most 40-point games.
The Villanova product is averaging 26.0 points, 7.6 assists, and 2.9 rebounds this season, while leading the Knicks to the third spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 33-17.
Brunson is the driving force of a New York offence that averages 117.9 points a game, the fourth-highest mark in the NBA.
His teammate, Karl-Anthony Towns, is averaging 24.3 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in his first season with the Knicks. He has also been named as a starter for this month’s All-Star Game.
New York has played to a 22-10 record against Eastern Conference opponents this season, but could be without Anunoby in their starting lineup after the forward suffered a sprained foot on Saturday night.
He missed his first game of the season Monday and is currently listed as day-to-day for the contest.
Anunoby was a first-round pick of the Raptors in the 2017 NBA Draft, and spent the first six years of his career with Toronto.