Only one game in the Association on Tuesday, and it was between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who missed the Knicks’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, returned with a bang, scoring 24 points and grabbing 15 rebounds to lead New York to a 113-108 triumph over the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.
Towns also made the big plays that decided this tight contest, drilling the go-ahead lay-in with 36 ticks left to put the Knicks ahead, 110-108, before making the game-sealing triple the very next possession.
Mikal Bridges added 23 points for the Knicks, who have now won five of their last six games to improve to 15-9 for the season. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart had 14 and 10, respectively. RJ Barrett paced the Raptors with 30 points and 8 rebounds, while Ja’Kobe Walter contributed a career-high 19 off the Toronto bench. The Raptors have now lost three straight this season and five straight to the Knicks.
Barnes Exits with a Right Ankle Sprain
Toronto’s Scottie Barnes left the game midway in the third quarter after turning his ankle and challenging Towns inside the paint. The former fourth overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft stayed on the floor for a couple of minutes and had to be helped off the court by his teammates. Reports later revealed he was unable to put weight on the injured foot.
Barnes, who is averaging 21.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists this season, has only played 13 games so far. He missed 11 games previously due to a right orbital fracture. He exited the game having already scored 15 points and grabbing 5 boards.
What’s Next?
The Knicks will next take on the Atlanta Hawks on December 12. The 7-18 Raptors will look to break their three-game skid on December 13 when they face the red-hot Miami Heat.
