It is glaringly apparent that the Toronto Raptors just aren't as good as they think they are.

Unwilling, or unable, to play smart, hard basketball for 48 minutes, the Raptors coughed up an eminently winnable game here last night against a reeling opponent that stole a victory with one great quarter of play.

The Knicks, stumbling into the game with two wins in their last eight games and minus their most energetic rebounder and one of their most valuable players, used the power of a huge first quarter to record a 102-94 victory.

"I just don't think we were prepared to come out and do what we had to do to win the game," said Antonio Davis after the Knicks ran out to a 30-15 first-quarter lead they milked for the rest of the game.

"I don't know if we're just content with the way things are going, or if we feel we can just turn it on when we have to to win the game (but) we have to find some consistency."

It sounds like a broken record, but the Raptors were lamenting another slow start for their loss.