Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 8, 2018 ) New York 88, Toronto 113

If there were any lingering doubts as to whether the Toronto Raptors were true NBA title contenders, they should be eliminated by now. The Raptors snapped the mighty Houston Rockets' winning streak at 17 games in a Friday night thriller and look to extend their own run to eight when they visit the stumbling New York Knicks for a Sunday matinee.

"They've been playing exceptionally well of late," All-Star DeMar DeRozan told reporters of the Rockets, "so for us to come in here and protect home court is big." DeRozan's team has been exceptional as well, winning 14 of its last 15 to open a 2 1/2-game lead over Boston in the race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Toronto now looks to take advantage of a Knicks team that it defeated by 25 points just over a month ago and has dropped six in a row overall. At the very least, New York has finally come to the end of a brutal stretch in which it played 24 of 33 games on a road (7-26) and can look forward to five straight at Madison Square Garden.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (48-17): One part of the winning formula in Toronto has been an ability to limit opponents' production from the perimeter, as the Raptors allow an NBA-low 8.8 3-pointers per game, and they held the most prolific 3-point shooting team in the league to a season low-tying nine made triples on Friday. "That was our game plan, to keep them inside the 3," guard Kyle Lowry told reporters. "We tried to take away one of their strengths." Lowry also carried the load offensively with 30 points while DeRozan chipped in 23 for Toronto, which improved to 28-5 at home.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (24-42): New York allowed an average of 117.8 points during its six-game slide and it saw Milwaukee shoot 56.2 percent from the field in Friday's loss to cap an 0-4 road trip. There were plenty of positives on the offensive end as Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 26 points, Emmanuel Mudiay added 19 to break out of a brutal slump and Troy Williams - playing on his second 10-day contract - produced a season-high 18 in 26 minutes off the bench. "He's been great," coach Jeff Hornacek said of Williams. "He has that athleticism to go for an [offensive] rebound and still get back on defense. He's earned it [sticking for the season]."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Raptors SF OG Anunoby (ankle) missed his fifth straight game and PG Delon Wright (toe) also sat Friday night.

2. Hardaway is averaging 21.5 points on 50 percent shooting in March after producing 14.9 while shooting 37.3 percent in February.

3. New York lost nine of its last 10 at home after opening 15-5 at Madison Square Garden.

PREDICTION: Raptors 118, Knicks 107