Raptors Star to Miss Knicks Revenge Game

A former member of the New York Knicks won't be on the court for the Toronto Raptors tonight.

Jan 8, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are playing tonight against the Toronto Raptors on the road, but a familiar face won't be making an appearance on the court.

According to TSN reporter Josh Lewenberg, Raptors forward RJ Barrett won't play tonight against his former Knicks team as he has entered the NBA's concussion protocol.

"RJ Barrett went down hard and appeared to hit his head on the court. Was slow to get up but he'll stay in the game. Strange decision by the team, especially with a big lead lead and only 4 minutes left. Should really be evaluating him for a concussion," Lewenberg tweeted during the team's last game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

"This was bad bad bad on the part of the Raptors. Was shocked Barrett stayed in the game after hitting his head on the court late vs LAC. Darko joked about it & said RJ wanted to keep playing. Not how protocol is supposed to work. Head injuries are serious business. Hope he’s OK."

"This shouldn’t have even been a judgement call. His head bounced when it hit the court and he was visibly shaken up (glossy eyes, etc). If that’s not cause to enter the protocol, what is? Don’t blame RJ for wanting to play through it. It’s on the team to protect the player."

Barrett played for the Knicks from 2019-23 after being chosen as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He was traded in Dec. 2023 as part of the deal that got OG Anunoby to the Big Apple.

With Barrett out, the task of winning tonight has been made easier for the Knicks, but after last night's tough game against the Houston Rockets, they will still have to pull off a massive effort to find a way to beat the Raptors. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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