The “Maple Mamba” has lived up to his moniker for the Toronto Raptors this season, which would make losing him a tough break for the team.

Both the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors may be without multiple key players in Tuesday night's NBA Cup quarterfinals matchup.

Rajakovic pointed to two specific areas of improvement since the Knicks traded their homegrown cornerstones to Toronto in exchange for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn. Achiuwa and Flynn have since moved on. Anunoby missed Sunday’s game with a hamstring strain.

Toronto Raptors' RJ Barrett remains sidelined with a knee sprain, having received a platelet-rich plasma injection to aid recovery. He will be re-evaluated in a week, missing upcoming NBA Cup games. His absence has significantly impacted the team's offense,

The Toronto Raptors will be without three players, including two key rotational pieces, in their high-voltage regular-season showdown against the LA Lakers on Thursday.

RJ Barrett's growing influence extends beyond the court, revealing deeper layers in his basketball journey with the Raptors and beyond.

After beating the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals, the Knicks will now go up against the Orlando Magic in the Semifinals. New York has jumped out to a strong 17-7 record so far this season,