Knicks stave off furious Raptors comeback for 7th win in last 8 games
Seven out of eight isn’t too bad after all.
The New York Knicks made it two in a row after Saturday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers by delivering a 121-115 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.
The Knicks have now completed the season sweep against Toronto winning all four matchups against their Atlantic Division rival this season.
Jalen Brunson finished with a team-high 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting, and Karl-Anthony Towns erupted for a 27-point, 20-rebound performance, as the Knicks improved to a 34-17 record on the season.
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes finished with a team-high 23 points on 8-of-23 shooting from the field, and Toronto trailed by 23 before mounting a ferocious late-game comeback.
The Raptors cut New York’s lead to one before Brunson scored five straight points to keep Toronto at bay.
“I thought we played well in the first half, had the big lead, and then we didn’t have the same intensity defensively to start the third. They caught us with some 3s, made up some ground quickly,” Coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I thought the [hustle points’ were the difference in the game. You need easy baskets, whether they come in transition.”
Starting Knicks forward OG Anunoby missed his second consecutive game with a right foot sprain, and forward Precious Achiuwa started in his place against his former team. Achiuwa finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
Knicks rookie Ariel Hukporti also saw extended play time for the second game in a row and finished with six points, five rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes on Tuesday. Hukporti’s teammates were complimentary of his performance in Monday’s victory against the Houston Rockets.
“[I saw] great energy. I think that was the biggest thing. Obviously, he’s young, and the flow of the game is different than what he’s used to, but he gave us great energy, good minutes,” veteran teammate Josh Hart said after the game. Hart was quick to note Hukporti was part of New York’s efforts to reciprocate Houston’s physical style of play with Hukporti finishing with four fouls to go with his two rebounds and a block in eight minutes on Monday: “He used his fouls. He’s got six of ‘em, so he was making sure he was gonna use him. But great energy from him.”
Thibodeau also frequently used Hukporti in minutes alongside Towns. The move was viewed as strategic to get Towns prepared for minutes alongside Mitchell Robinson, who is expected to make his season debut after recovering from a stress fracture in his left ankle last season.
The Raptors did not have R.J. Barrett, who missed Tuesday’s matchup in concussion protocol. Former Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley played 21 minutes and finished with just nine points and five assists.
The Knicks bench struggled again on Tuesday, generating just 17 points between Hukporti, Cameron Payne and Miles McBride. For Toronto, Jamal Shead scored 16 points, Kelly Olynyk added 11, and the entire Raptors bench tallied 51 points against the Knicks.
The Knicks now get three days of rest before Saturday’s matchup against the Boston Celtics. They have three more games (Boston, Indiana and Atlanta) before the Feb. 13-19 NBA All-Star Break.
New York is expected to practice at least one of those three days, though the Feb. 6 NBA Trade Deadline could complicate matters.
The Knicks are expected to actively shop Jericho Sims for backup center help behind Towns and Robinson ahead of the deadline.
____