VanVleet scores 28, Raptors hand Knicks 4th straight loss
Knicks #Knicks
TORONTO (AP) — Fred VanVleet scored 28 points, Gary Trent Jr. had 24 before fouling out and the Toronto Raptors snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the New York Knicks 125-116 Sunday.
Pascal Siakam scored 24 points, Scottie Barnes had 19 and Precious Achiuwa added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who scored 26 points off 17 New York turnovers.
RJ Barrett scored 30 points and Julius Randle had 23 points and 19 rebounds as the Knicks lost their fourth straight. Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and Obi Toppin had 14.
New York overcame a 17-point deficit to take the lead late in the third quarter. The game was tied to begin the fourth before the Raptors pulled away with an 11-0 run that saw Toronto score seven points at the free throw line.
Toronto had lost its previous two games, at Minnesota and home to Boston, despite holding double-digit leads in each. The Raptors failed to score 20 points in the fourth quarter in both of those defeats. They scored 39 in the fourth quarter Sunday.
VanVleet returned after sitting out Saturday’s loss to Boston because of soreness in his right ribs. Toronto was without O.G. Anunoby, who left Saturday’s game in the second half because of a sore right ankle.
The Raptors started 5 for 5 from 3-point range and shot 7 for 11 from distance in the first, while New York went 2 for 9. Toronto led 37-22 after one.
Toppin scored 12 points and shot 4 for 5 from long range as the Knicks closed the gap in the second. The Raptors were up 62-53 at the half.
Brunson’s 3 with 1:26 left in the third capped a 10-1 spurt that put the Knicks up by one, 84-83, giving New York its first lead since Barrett scored the opening two points of the game at the free throw line. The score was tied at 86 heading to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Knicks: G Immanuel Quickley (left knee) was not available. … C Mitchell Robinson missed his second game after undergoing surgery last Thursday to repair a fractured right thumb. Robinson is expected to miss three weeks.
Raptors: Achiuwa started his second straight game. He had double-doubles in each. … Trent matched his season-high with six made 3-pointers. … Attendance was 19,261, Toronto’s first non-sellout crowd of the season. Capacity is 19.800. Sunday was the Raptors’ 27th home game.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Raptors won for the third time in four meetings with the Knicks this season. The home team won for the first time in those games.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Cleveland on Tuesday.
Raptors: Visit Sacramento on Wednesday.
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New York Knicks guard Quentin Grimes, bottom, falls to the floor as he battles Toronto Raptors forward Precious Achiuwa (5) for control of the ball during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
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