Game 1: Knicks @ Raptors

It is finally here! Almost... Tonight the Knicks take on the Boshless Raptors in Toronto to open up the 2010-2011 NBA season. This is the first season of the D'Antoni/Walsh era where the emphasis is on winning and not clearing cap space and acquiring this blog's namesake (expiring contracts). Let's hope it starts off with a bang.

The Knicks will start new PG Ray Felton, Rookie SG (who is actually a SF) Landry Fields, SF Danilo Gallinari, new PF Amar'e Stoudemire, and new C Timofey Mozgov. 4 of the starting 5 are new to the squad, so this could be interesting.

The Raptors will apparently start the fab 5 of Jarret Jack (watch out, he's a Knick killer), DeMar DeRozan, Linas Kleiza, mauler/backstreet brawler Reggie Evans (kinda looks like Kimbo Slice), and Andrea Bargnani.

Kleiza is returning to the NBA after plying his trade in Europe last season. He now sports a beard and this will indubiously lead him to put up a career year. I'm thinking 18 and 8 for the Lithuanian.

Anthony Randolph sprained his ankle yesterday so he is out. Look for Douglas, Chandler, and Turiaf to get a bunch of time off the pine, and maybe Bill Walker will get some burn.

Anyway, obviously I think the Knicks will win. Let's say 115-101. Raptors got no D.