TORONTO – Gary Trent Jr., poured in 24 factors, together with a key three-pointer with simply over a minute play, to elevate the Toronto Raptors to a 90-87 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday.
Fred VanVleet had 17 factors and 11 assists, whereas rookie Scottie Barnes had a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with 12 factors for the undermanned Raptors (12-14). Pascal Siakam had 13 factors and 12 boards, whereas Chris Boucher chipped in with 14 factors.
Canadian RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin led the Knicks (12-14) with 19 factors apiece.
Coming off a one-point last-second loss to Oklahoma Metropolis on Wednesday, the Raptors amassed a 20 point-lead within the first quarter on Friday and appeared headed for a simple victory.
However the Knicks — who began the day in eleventh within the Japanese Convention, one spot forward of Toronto — had different plans. The Raptors led 69-65 to start out the fourth quarter, however Toppin’s three-pointer tied it up 4 minutes into the body to groans from the Scotiabank Area crowd.
VanVleet introduced them to their ft with a three-pointer for a five-point lead with 4:29 to play, then Siakam fed a slashing Barnes for a dunk to make it six factors with about three minutes to play.
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Barrett had 5 factors of a 7-0 Knicks run that put the guests up by some extent, however Trent related from lengthy distance for an 89-87 benefit with 1:11 to play.
Siakam missed a jumper, Julius Randle missed on his three-point try, after which down by three with 0.2 on the clock, Barrett clanged a three-point try off the rim.
The Raptors obtained off to a scorching begin, hitting five-three pointers within the first quarter, together with one by Trent, that put gave them a 20-point lead. Toronto led 34-14 to start out the second.
The Knicks’ bench scored 20 factors within the second to gasoline a 29-9 New York run, and when Immanuel Quickley drained a three-pointer to tie the sport, gamers on the Knicks bench leapt to their ft in celebration. The Raptors closed the quarter with an 11-3 run punctuated by a Siakam dunk with a half second on the clock, and Toronto went into the halftime break up 50-42.
Barrett had 9 factors within the third quarter, together with 5 straight that put the Knicks up by some extent.
Barrett, a 21-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., is rounding into type after lacking a few video games earlier this month as a result of a non-COVID sickness that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau stated took a toll on the No. 3 choose within the 2019 draft. Barrett missed one sport and needed to go away one other after simply eight minutes.
The Raptors proceed to battle accidents. OG Anunoby missed his eleventh sport with a hip damage, whereas Khem Birch sat for the seventh straight sport with knee swelling, and Valuable Achiuwa was additionally sidelined (shoulder tendinitis).
The Raptors additionally had a COVID-19 scare. The group cancelled follow on Thursday out of an “abundance of warning” after group president and vice-chairman Masai Ujiri examined constructive for COVID-19. Ujiri, who’s totally vaccinated together with a booster shot, stated it was later discovered that there have been constructive checks at his Giants of Africa occasion on Sunday.
“Superfan” Nav Bhatia missed his first Raptors house sport, ending a 26-year streak. Bhatia attended Ujiri’s Giants of Africa occasion, and so is in isolation in accordance with a Toronto Public Well being order.
The Raptors have been hit onerous by the pandemic final March whereas enjoying in Tampa, Fla. Lacking quite a few key gamers, they tumbled down the Japanese Convention and missed the playoffs.
The Raptors host the Sacramento Kings on Monday of their closing sport of a season-long seven-game homestand.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Dec. 20, 2021.
© 2021 The Canadian Press
