Randle has 32 points, Brunson scores 26 and Knicks beat Raptors 112-108
By Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press on January 6, 2023.
TORONTO – The frustration continues for the Toronto Raptors. Julius Randle scored 19 of his 32 points in the first quarter to lead the New York Knicks 112-108 over the Raptors on Friday, beating Toronto for the first time in 12 tries at Scotiabank Arena. Fred Van Vleet scored 28 points, while Gary Trent Jr. added 27 for the Raptors, who lost their third straight and 11th of their last 14 games to fall to 16-23 — Toronto’s worst record through 39 games since the 2012-13 season. The Raptors hadn’t lost to the Knicks at home in 11 straight games, a streak that stretched back to Nov. 10, 2015. Pascal Siakam finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while OG Anunoby chipped in with 13 points. Jalen Brunson added 22 points as the Knicks (22-18) won their fourth in a row. Trailing by 10 to start the second half, the Raptors had a terrific burst of defensive intensity to pull to within two points on a Trent three-pointer less than four minutes into the third quarter. VanVleet banked in a three as the shot clock sounded with 35 seconds left. His free throw made it a one-point game with 5.3 seconds left in the quarter. New York took an 81-78 advantage into the fourth. Toronto fizzled early in the fourth, as the Knicks quickly opened up a double-digit lead and were back up by 16 points with 4:37 to play. The Raptors clawed their way back and when Siakam drilled a three-pointer from the corner with 49 seconds left, the long bomb made it a four-point game and brought the capacity crowd of 19,800 to its feet. Trent hit a three to slice the difference to just two points seven seconds later, but Brunson scored four points in the dying seconds to seal the victory. Randle couldn’t miss in the first quarter, connecting on five consecutive three-pointers. The Knicks led by nine late in the frame, but Toronto closed with a 5-0 run — highlighted by a steal and basket from Trent — and New York took a 30-26 advantage into the second. Brunson’s three capped a 17-4 New York that put the visitors up by 17 points midway through the second quarter. The Raptors replied with their own run, and Boucher’s running layup with 6.6 seconds on the clock pulled them to within 57-47 at halftime. Boucher’s nine first-half points off the bench topped the entire bench scoring in the Raptors’ previous two games. NO BARRETT: Knicks guard/forward and Mississauga, Ont., native RJ Barrett sat out his fifth consecutive game with a lacerated finger. Barrett, the No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft, was averaging 19.7 points a game. He told reporters the gash happened when his finger bent backwards and popped out of place. He still has stitches in it, and will be re-evaluated next week. WIESKAMP: The Raptors are bringing in G League guard/forward Joe Wieskamp on a 10-day contract, ESPN first reported Friday. Wieskamp played 29 games with the Spurs a season ago. UP NEXT: The Raptors host Portland on Sunday in the third game of their six-game homestand. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2022. 17-16
