Marc Gasol surprised by all the Raptors fans in NYC

Marc Gasol made his Toronto Raptors debut on Saturday night after spending his entire career with the Memphis Grizzlies. One thing that stood out to him immediately was the fan support he had on the road.

Gasol’s Raptors beat the New York Knicks 104-99 at Madison Square Garden. He was asked after the game about what surprised him and said the fan support they had in an opponent’s building.

“How many fans for the Raptors were in the stands,” Gasol said. “Memphis fans — we get some fans in the stands — but not as many as you guys, or ‘us’ now. The amount of energy that you feel around the city is great.”

Gasol came off the bench and had 7 points and 6 rebounds in 19 minutes. He was averaging 15.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game with Memphis and will make the 41-16 Raptors that much tougher. Having the extra fan support may help him elevate his play this season, too.