The Toronto Raptors may have been the away team against the New York Knicks, but it was difficult for center Marc Gasol to see the difference thanks to the fan turnout.
Gasol made his debut with the Raptors after being dealt by the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline. According to Blake Murphy of The Athletic, he was surprised to see how many Raptors fans there were at Madison Square Garden:
Gasol said the thing he was most surprised by tonight was the amount of Raptors fans at MSG.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) February 10, 2019
Gasol's comments are certainly understandable. It is no secret that the Grizzlies are not the most well-traveled fan base in the league. Meanwhile, Toronto has developed one of the more passionate fan bases amidst its success in recent years. Of course, the balanced turnout can largely be attributed to the Knicks' lackluster 2018-19 NBA season, and it certainly showed in New York on Saturday night.
Marc Gasol displayed plenty of promise in his first game with the Raptors. The veteran came off the bench in Toronto's clutch win. He finished the game with seven points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field. He also tacked on six rebounds, two steals, and a block in nearly 19 minutes of play.
There is no question that Gasol's workload should increase moving forward. For now, it appears the Raptors are not looking to put too much on his plate as he gets accustomed to the move. Regardless, it is safe to say that expectations will be as high as ever this postseason.