The New York Knicks took a close win against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, ending in 108-113. Here are a few takeaways from the win:
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks to victory
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns put on an incredible performance against the Raptors with 24 points (7-13 FG), 15 rebounds, and 6 assists. The center had a strong return last night after missing the previous game against the Detroit Pistons with a sore right knee. Towns led all Knicks in scoring and secured the win for New York with a momentous three-pointer in crunch time. After Towns and forward OG Anunoby got a critical defensive stop against the Raptors, Towns sunk a three on the other end of the court, putting the Knicks up five points with just 6 seconds left in the game. Towns continue to be a crucial offensive factor for the Knicks and should very well enter the MVP conversation, averaging a double-double of 25.1 points per game and 13.3 rebounds per game.
Mikal Bridges was clutch down the stretch
Knicks guard Mikal Bridges had an impressive showing in the win against Toronto, putting up 23 points (9-14 FG), including 5 three-pointers. After having an inconsistent start to the season, specifically shooting from the three-point line, where his percentage dipped to 29 percent at one point, Bridges turned it around in December. In the past 5 games, the guard is shooting 45.2 percent behind the arc and has sunk at least two threes each game. Bridges hit three three-pointers in the fourth quarter, including two that took the lead for New York and one that tied the game. His critical shots down the stretch are exactly what fans have been expecting of the 28-year-old.
Defense showed up
In the Knicks’ previous loss on Saturday against the Detroit Pistons, the main issue was a lack of defense. New York got off to a better start against the Raptors, only giving up 27 points in the first quarter compared to 39 against Detroit. Towns greatly emphasized the defensive end, adding 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 15 rebounds. Anunoby added to the Knicks’ impressive defense down the stretch, grabbing 2 steals and 3 blocks. The score was tight throughout the entire game, with 26 lead changes in total, but ultimately, it came down to the Knicks getting defensive stops against the Raptors to pull away in the final moments.
