There’s no question things are not good in the world of Toronto sports right now.
asserted
things → ’ → sports
The Toronto Maple Leafs are free fallin’ like Tom Petty, losing seven of their past eight games.
asserted
Leafs → fallin → games
The Blue Jays had a terrible year and once it mercifully ended, the franchise’s worst signing in years somehow made a worse impression off the field with Islamophobic social media comments.
asserted
signing → have → comments
Toronto FC remains a disaster and the Argonauts flamed out spectacularly in the CFL playoffs.
asserted
Argonauts → remain → playoffs
Which brings us to the Raptors, the franchise that probably entered its season with the highest of fan hopes.
asserted
that → bring → hopes
Instead, Kawhi Leonard has only played twice and will probably miss 3-5 more games.
asserted
Leonard → play → games
And after playing in 80 games a year ago Scottie Barnes, Toronto’s other star forward, has already missed four, three of them losses.
asserted
three → play → them
Toronto is coming off two tough defeats against rival powerhouses, blowing big leads on consecutive days against Boston (22 points) and Philadelphia (16) before falling in dispiriting fashion.
asserted
Toronto → come → fashion
It’s impossible to judge these Raptors since Leonard has barely played, Barnes has missed a third of the young season, and regular starters Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley also have missed a couple of games each.
asserted
Poeltl → ’ → games
The Raptors should be good enough to be decent the many nights Leonard can’t go, even if asking them to match the 2018-19 title team’s 17-5 record minus Kawhi that season is probably a stretch.
asserted
asking → go → Kawhi
Barnes is arguably better than anyone else on that championship squad, though their overall depth when Leonard didn’t play was ahead of this group with quality players such as Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol (and Jonas Valanciunas before the trade), Serge Ibaka, Danny Green, OG Anunoby and Norm Powell were there to pick up the slack.
asserted
players → play → slack
If Barnes is also unavailable many times moving forward, even making the play-in tournament is going to be a challenge and earning another outright playoff berth like last season simply won’t happen.
asserted
earning → move → season
Toronto is only 6-17 (a ghastly .230 winning percentage) without Barnes over the last three seasons, compared to 75-78 when he plays.
asserted
he → compare → seasons
Even though he wasn’t matching the breakout play of his 2025-26 season, Barnes was still pretty good most nights.
asserted
Barnes → match → season
Now he’s already been over-taxed and is already hurting.
asserted
he → tax → ?
The Raptors will provide an update on Barnes after practice Saturday and on Leonard Tuesday.
asserted
Raptors → provide → Leonard
Toronto already has used seven different starting lineups in only 12 games, and no fivesome has started more than three times together.
asserted
fivesome → use → times
The schedule continues to be a bear for a group that could really use some light touches.
uncertain
that → continue → touches
After a long road trip, they had to face three of the NBA’s best teams early (Memphis, Boston and Philadelphia).
asserted
they → have → Memphis
Now it will be two straight at home against defending champion New York.
asserted
it → defend → York
The Knicks aren’t firing on all cylinders (forward Mikal Bridges admitted this week he can play a lot better), but are still formidable and come in healthy.
asserted
he → fire → cylinders
They’re sixth-best defensively and are the best rebounding team in basketball.
asserted
They → ’re → basketball
The Knicks have also wiped the floor with Toronto consistently since acquiring OG Anunoby for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
asserted
Knicks → wipe → Barrett
New York has won 13 straight, including five blowout wins last season.
asserted
York → win → wins
A year ago they went 22-30 against those squads, including 1-11 against the East’s top three seeds.
asserted
they → go → seeds
They need Leonard and Barnes to play in order to change the narrative that they are paper tigers who feast on bad or mediocre opponents but can’t compete with the NBA’s best.
asserted
who → need → best
The Aporia
