New York Knicks beat the Toronto Raptors 112-98: A much-needed win

The New York Knicks returned to the win column, defeating the Toronto Raptors 112-98. They didn’t have to worry about running out of steam, taking control of the action before the fourth quarter started.

The Knicks saw better spacing with Karl-Anthony Towns back, and while the center hobbled through some sequences, he keyed the victory. Towns’ minutes with the second unit were some of his best and helped build momentum for New York to close both halves.

New York handled business like it was supposed to, so let’s get straight to the standout performances.

Karl-Anthony Towns limped through the first quarter, but New York needed him. Once adrenaline set in, Towns shrugged off the knee pain and took over, looking unstoppable for long stretches of action.

More importantly, Bodega KAT played phenomenal defense. He challenged players at the rim and disrupted ball-handlers that drew too close. The Knicks needed this win, and Towns led by example despite his knee issue.

We’re becoming accustomed to Josh Hart beating teams for near triple-doubles, but this game included a unique wrinkle. Hart usually does most of his scoring in transition and off cuts. But Hart beat the Raptors half-court defense off the dribble repeatedly. He lived in the paint!

While Hart’s passing and rebounding lived up to his reputation, his defense went above and beyond. He repeatedly frustrated Scottie Barnes, forcing the bigger player to take difficult jumpers.

Every game against the Raptors is an OG Anunoby revenge game. Anunoby’s shaky shooting got its groove back, and he never stopped attacking. OG notched 27 points in 13 attempts, a ridiculously efficient performance.

Anunoby played elite defense, but that’s commonplace. He deserves to be in the DPOY conversation, and we fans should start that conversation early and often!

I bumped Precious Achiuwa into the second tier for two main reasons. First, his minutes with Karl-Anthony Towns continue to give opponents nightmares. The pair helped New York close the third quarter strong, and that momentum shut the door on Toronto.

My second note is about chemistry. Achiuwa and Landry Shamet paired up for some impressive two-man work. The pair provided a boost off the bench, which is important as New York’s depth has been problematic in recent losses.

We’re not seeing the Jalen Brunson that we’ve been accustomed to. This is the third time in four games, since missing a game due to calf-soreness, that Brunson shot below 40% from the field.

The good news is that Brunson produced in other ways. He grabbed extra boards and continued the best playmaking season of his career. But his scoring struggles are concerning because it’s rare that he compiles multiple inefficient games.

Everyone else shooting well helped cover for the worst shooting night of Mikal Bridges’ season. Bridges missed wide-open shots, where it seemed like he had too long to think about the shot. Clyde Frazier mentioned Bridges “aiming” his shot, and the dreaded hitch made a return.

Bridges struggled at the rim, too, being blocked occasionally. But his demeanor never changed, and he did a nice job everywhere else. His defense stayed strong, which will always help his impact.

This would be an easy win to take for granted if not for the Knicks’ three-game losing streak. But watching them turn things around was a relief.

But not without stress. Watching KAT limp and grimace scared me, and Jalen Brunson wasn’t himself. Josh Hart hit the locker room briefly after hip-to-hip contact for another “hold your breath” moment. But injuries are part of the game, and this team is resilient.

New York needs everyone at their best to beat Oklahoma City next. That’s a chance at revenge, but it won’t be easy. I’ll talk to you after the action, Knicks fam!