Raptors vs Knicks: Kawhi Leonard scores 21 in Toronto return
Key takeaways
- Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points in his first Raptors game since 2019.
- Toronto beat the New York Knicks 148-98 in a preseason warm-up game.
- Leonard played only the first half as he builds fitness for the real season.
Kawhi Leonard is back in Toronto. He scored 21 points in his first game back with the Raptors. Toronto beat the New York Knicks 148-98 on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
This was a preseason game. That means it was a warm-up game. It does not count toward the real season.
The result will not show up in the regular season standings. But the night still mattered a lot to Toronto fans.
A re-debut is a first game back with a team after time away. Leonard last played for Toronto in the 2018-19 season. He then spent years with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Now he is a Raptor again.
What happened
The game took place at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The Raptors hosted the Knicks in front of a home crowd. Leonard drew the loudest cheers of the night, according to TSN.
The fans gave him a warm welcome back.
Leonard played only the first half. He spent about 17 minutes on the court, according to TSN and NBC Sports. He did not play in the second half.
The Raptors had already built a big lead by then. Toronto led 86-47 at halftime, according to TSN.
Leonard scored 21 points. That was the most points by any player in the game. He made 6 of his 12 shots from the field.
He made 4 of his 8 three-point shots. A three-point shot is a long shot worth three points. He also made 5 of his 7 free throws.
A free throw is a free shot from the foul line.
He added five rebounds and two steals. A rebound means grabbing the ball after a missed shot. A steal means taking the ball from the other team.
Those are strong numbers for a short night.
His teammates played well too. Scottie Barnes scored 19 points for Toronto, according to TSN. Barnes also had six rebounds and four assists.
An assist is a pass that leads to a score. Collin Murray-Boyles added 19 points, according to Sportsnet. RJ Barrett scored 17 points, according to TSN.
The Knicks did not play their best players. James Wiseman led New York with 18 points, according to TSN. The Knicks had played in New York the night before.
They left their starters at home, according to Sportsnet. A starter is a player who begins the game on the court. So Toronto faced a Knicks team full of backups and young players.
Leonard had sat out Toronto's first two preseason games. Sportsnet reported that he missed them for reconditioning. Reconditioning means getting the body fit for games.
This game was his first live action of the preseason. He looked ready from the start.
The Raptors now have two wins and one loss in preseason play. Their preseason record is 2-1, according to TSN and Sportsnet. That record does not matter for the real season.
It only shows how warm-up games are going.
Why it matters
This was Leonard's first Raptors game since 2019. He led Toronto to its only NBA title in the 2018-19 season. He won the Finals MVP award that year. That award goes to the best player in the finals.
The finals are the last round of the playoffs. TSN calls him a two-time NBA Finals MVP. He has won the award twice in his career.
A two-way player is strong on both ends of the court. That means he can score points on offense. It also means he can stop the other team on defense.
Sportsnet wrote that Leonard was the best two-way player in the sport when he left Toronto. He showed both skills again on Tuesday. He scored 21 points.
He also made two steals on defense.
His return took a long time to complete. Toronto traded for him from the Clippers this past summer, according to TSN. But the trade was held up for months.
The NBA looked into whether the Clippers broke its pay rules. The NBA sets a limit on how much each team can pay players. The league said the Clippers broke rules tied to Leonard's deal.
Once the league acted, the trade could go through.
Toronto sent Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick to Los Angeles, according to TSN. The deal also sent draft picks to the Clippers. Draft picks are rights to choose young players in future years.
Toronto also signed Leonard to a two-year, $115 million contract extension, according to Sportsnet. That deal keeps him in Toronto for the next two seasons.
Coach Darko Rajakovic wanted Leonard to enjoy the night. Rajakovic said before the game that Leonard should just have fun, according to TSN. He also wanted Leonard to play with his new teammates.
The coach wanted them to build chemistry. Chemistry means playing well together as a group. Leonard said he is still learning the plays.
He also said he still needs to get in better shape.
Leonard kept his message simple after the game. "I'm just here to fit in," he said, according to TSN. He wants to help his team win games.
He does not want to be the only star.
Fans should keep one fact in mind. The Knicks rested their starters. The Raptors did not beat New York's best lineup.
The Knicks also lost a preseason game to Minnesota with a short-handed group. So the big score says less about Toronto's title chances. It says more about Leonard's health and form.
He looked sharp. He moved well. He shot well.
That is the real news.
The game also showed Toronto's depth. Depth means the team has many good players. Three Raptors scored 19 points or more.
The team scored 148 points in total. That is a lot of points for one game. Other preseason games have seen big comebacks too.
Preseason scores can swing fast. Coaches use these games to test players. They do not chase wins at all costs.
What happens next
Toronto still has preseason games left. The Raptors visit New York on Thursday, according to TSN. They then finish their warm-up schedule on Friday in Detroit.
They will face the Pistons in that game.
The real season starts soon after. Toronto's home opener is on October 21, according to TSN. The Raptors will face the Chicago Bulls in that game.
That game will count. The preseason games will not.
Leonard may play in one more preseason game. NBC Sports reported that he could play in New York or Detroit. The team will watch his minutes with care.
Minutes are the time a player spends on the court. Stars often sit out preseason games to stay fresh. Leonard sat out the first two warm-up games.
The team will not rush him now.
The next step is fitness. Leonard said he wants to get in better shape, according to TSN. He wants to learn the team's plays.
He wants to build trust with his new teammates. Each game gives him a chance to do that.
Toronto fans will watch the opener with high hopes. Leonard is back in the city where he won a title. He scored 21 points in his first night back.
The warm-up games do not count. But they gave fans a reason to smile. The real test starts on October 21.
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