The New York Knicks (29*-18) played at MSG last night and fought deep into the night before finally knifing the Kings. Just 24 hours later, they took the floor in Toronto to face the Raptors (29-20). The Raps had rested since Sunday and won four straight. A fatigued Knicks team versus one of the hottest in the league? With Immanuel Quickley having a career year? Some of us had concerns. So a 119-92 win? Quoth YIK: “Didn’t see that coming.”
The game had an unpromising start. The visitors opened with a turnover-soaked first quarter and scrambled after an ill Jalen Brunson exited early, managing just 18 points. They steadied in the second behind Towns’ absurd rebounding and improved team defense, clawing their way to a four-point deficit at halftime. After another uneven stretch to start the third, New York went on a 64-26 run to the finish line, riding Mikal Bridges’ unstoppable shooting, Anunoby’s full-court impact, and another solid game by Josh Hart (playing on a sore ankle, no less).
New York outshot the Raps (50% to 38% FG, 37% to 27% 3PT), applied relentless interior pressure (winning the paint, 60–38), and superior ball movement (32 assists)—most of the good stuff happening after intermission. Bridges led the way with 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting, while Anunoby delivered a ferocious two-way performance with 26 points, six steals, and five assists. The hobbled Hart was everywhere, piling up 22 points, six boards, and six dimes, and Jalen Brunson, clearly not at full strength, still steadied the offense with 13 points in 30 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns struggled to score (8 points on 3-of-11 FG) but grabbed a staggering 22 rebounds and fouled nobody (nobody!) in 35 minutes.
Off the bench, Tyler Kolek made the most of his chance. He orchestrated the offense with 10 assists in 19 minutes and a team-high +23, while Landry Shamet chipped in timely shooting (9 points, three threes).
Brandon Ingram carried Toronto with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, but faded late, while Scottie Barnes filled the box score (17 points, 10 boards, 5 dimes) and committed five turnovers. OAKAAKUYOAKs RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley both labored ineffectively: the former chipped in 14 points and eight boards but shot 3-of-13; the latter managed just seven points.
That finish gives our heroes a four-game win streak, a 3-0 season series lead, and ownership of third place. Rejoice, fans!
[Editor’s Note: Boston lost to Atlanta, tying them with New York for second place.]
First Half
Woof, what a start. In the first three minutes, New York committed four turnovers, missed all three shot attempts, and watched Toronto score seven unanswered points. Coach Mike Brown called a timeout, out of which Towns committed a backcourt violation.
New York’s shooting was atrocious. Their defense is worse. When Collin Murray-Boyles fired a pass to a cutting Barrett for an uncontested layup, Bridges jogged helplessly behind. Making matters worse, Jalen Brunson was fighting an illness and subbed out after five minutes. While the leaderless Knicks fumbled and bumbled, the Canadians went up by nine.
With multiple players absent or ailing, Mike Brown drew deeply from his bench. Recent DNPs Tyler Kolek, Mohamed Diawara, and Ariel Hukporti reported for duty midway through the frame, as did Guerschon Yabusele, who’s likely sipping the last of his New York coffee. Even Jordan Clarkson checked in around the two-minute mark. With the reserves in, the Raptors were unconcerned. Spoiler: In the entire half, allll those bench guys contributed a total of five points.
Making matters worse, Landry Shamet tried to reverse direction and hurt his leg or groin—and his leg was already sleeved in a brace. Shamet limped off the court to watch the quarter play out from the bench. Whether your vantage was from up close or upstate New York, it was unpleasant, and when the buzzer buzzed, the score on this dud was 28-18.
Yet again, an assortment of Brunson, Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart couldn’t break 18 points. Hard to believe that somewhere in his lair, James Dolan isn’t dusting off his Melo-scented nuclear button.
We’ve seen KAT disappear. Now behold the vanishing OG!
In the second quarter, the game improved somewhat. Towns couldn’t make a shot, missing 5-0f-6 so far, but was hauling in rebounds at a record rate. By the five-minute mark, his total was 15 and climbing. On the other hand, he’d been blocked four times by Murray-Boyles in the second quarter alone. Note: CMB stands 6’7”.
Good news—Shamet returned, hit a triple, and moved well. And the Knicks’ defense improved enough to hold the Raptors to just 6-of-26 shooting in the second quarter. Although the Raptors shot terribly from the field in the first half (31% FG, 35% 3PT), they made plenty of hay at the free-throw line. By intermission, they had attempted 18 freebies in New York’s six. Both teams had missed one at the stripe.
Down 34–22 around the nine-minute mark, New York outscored Toronto by eight from there. That cut the score to 51–47 at halftime. Kind of surprisingly, every Knicks mini-run coincided with Towns being on the floor. Because, the rebounding! KAT finished the frame with 16 rebounds, the most by any NBA player in a half this season. And yet: four points on 2-of-9 shooting. And yet: no fouls. It’s always a mixed bag, innit?
Meanwhile, but Bridges was starting to cook. . . .
The Knicks scored 28 points in the paint to Toronto’s 14, but had been outrebounded 29-26 and missed 15-of-19 three-point attempts. After committing a season-high 21 turnovers last night, they kept the party going with 11 more in the first half tonight. Anunoby was the only New Yorker in double-digits with 14 points; for Toronto, Ingram and Barnes had 13 apiece. Quickley, who delivered a 40-burger earlier this month, had scored three points.
Second Half
The Knicks spent much of the quarter knocking on the door. More turnovers and offensive fouls hindered their progress, however. Toronto continued to benefit from free throws and defensive lapses. Last night, New York had no answer for DeMar DeRozan; tonight, the role was picked up by Ingram. There’s always someone.
Josh Hart was playing on a sore ankle. He’d finish the game with over 35 minutes and made plays like this:
New York finally cobbled together a decent run (with buckets by Shamet, Bridges, and Hart) and overtook the Raps with an Anunoby pick-six late at the four-minute mark. That gave them some momentum, and the train kept going—a 27-4 run helped them close the quarter ahead 82-70. Players on the floor during the scoring party? Kolek, Shamet, Bridges, Anunoby, and Towns. Mikal was especially incendiary, having made 10 of his first 11 shots, including 3-of-4 from deep, and Anunoby—who recorded seven giveaways yesterday—was stealing and blocking and scoring (10-of-16 thus far).
New York won the quarter 35-19, and a stunned hush fell over the city of Toronto. Check out this sequence, culminating in a krazy KAT dime:
Early in the fourth quarter, Kolek turned his ankle and had to leave the court. It was a disappointing break for the rookie who’s been in and out of the rotation this season and hungry for opportunities. A DNP for the previous two contests, the sophomore had dished 10 dimes in 19 minutes at the time of the injury (and only three turnovers).
Meanwhile, New York was rolling. The Knicks rattled off multiple threes (Hart twice, Shamet, Bridges) and paired them with rim pressure and dunks from OG and Bridges. The lead ballooned to 22 halfway through the period. For the villains, Barnes, Quickley, and Barrett missed jumpers in succession, and Toronto’s scoring dwindled to occasional dunks and free throws. By pairing defensive rebounding with blistering shooting, New York was a chainsaw, and Toronto folded like a maple leaf.
Up Next
The Knicks will return stateside to host the Trail Blazers on Friday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
