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Kawhi Leonard made his preseason debut in his return to the Toronto Raptors, helping them blow out the New York Knicks by 50 points, 148-98, at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
Leonard was efficient as usual, tallying 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-8 from long distance, five rebounds, and two steals in 17 minutes.
The Raptors started like a house on fire, outscoring the Knicks, 42-22, in the first quarter. They added 44 points in the second period, further burying the defending champions.
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During the halftime interview, Jamal Shead talked about Leonard’s fit.
“He looks good. I think he’s getting used to playing with us, and he’s getting used to all the pressure that we apply. He’s fitting right in. Looks good,” said Shead.
Jamal Shead on Kawhi Leonard’s first half performance/playing with the starters in his first game:
“He looks good. I think he’s getting used to playing with us, and he’s getting used to all the pressure that we apply.”
“He’s fitting right in. Looks good.”
🎤 : @SNMichaud 🎥:… pic.twitter.com/wgthE7e2yV
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) October 14, 2026
Shead had five points and five assists in 14 minutes off the bench.
The Raptors paraded their projected starting unit of Leonard, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl. The Knicks, on the other hand, rested Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The 35-year-old Leonard is eager to have a reset with the Raptors, which he carried to their first championship in 2019, and move on from his salary-cap controversy with the Los Angeles Clippers.
He admitted that he has a lot of catching up to do since his trade to Toronto got delayed.
“We’re just taking our time to ramp up. I wasn’t able to really do much with the trade in a holding pattern. I’ve been going up and down today, yesterday, so it’s just kind of like a minute restriction in a sense. But coming soon, I’ll be able to be fully active,” said the two-time Finals MVP.
The Raptors will have a rematch against the Knicks on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
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