Brunson Again Refuses to Let Knicks Lose. NY 121 Toronto 115

February 7, 2025 LouV 2024-25 0
Jalen Brunson again led the Knicks down the stretch with clutch buckets, finishing with 28 pts. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.

For the second night in a row, Jalen Brunson put on the cape and hit clutch bucket after clutch bucket down the stretch to pull out a win for the Knicks, as they beat the Raptors 121-115 on a Tuesday night in Toronto.

Just like the night before against Houston, Brunson refused to let the Knicks lose — putting them on his back at the end and finishing with 28 pts. Karl-Anthony Towns did heavy damage also, with 27 pts and 20 rebounds. Mikal Bridges and Precious Achiuwa added 17 pts apiece, and Josh Hart had 15 pts, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

The Knicks enjoyed a 17-pt halftime lead, and looked like they might blow Toronto off the court in the 3rd quarter, when they up-ed their lead to 23 pts. But Toronto pulled back within 12 by the end of the 3rd, then used a 12-0 run midway through the 4th to pull to within a point at 112-111 NY with 3 minutes left.

But they never got over the hump — Josh Hart with 2 big buckets — one off a Brunson drive and dish, and then Brunson silencing Toronto with a drive, and a huge 3 with 26 seconds left to clinch it.

“I think confidence comes from your preparation,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards about Brunson’s ability to hit clutch shots. “He can get to the spots that he wants to get to. He’s not afraid, and that’s probably the biggest thing. The confidence is a byproduct of his work”

NY improves to 34-17; Toronto falls to 16-34.

1. Close Game Midway thru 2nd Quarter

Despite their records — this looked to be a tough game for the Knicks. Toronto was 8-2 in their last 10 and playing at home, while the Knicks were playing the 2nd game of a back-to-back, having beaten Houston in a tough game the night before in NYC.

Toronto was without RJ Barrett, out due to concussion protocol after hitting his head on the court after a drive the other night; NY was without OG Anunoby out with a sprained foot.

Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 23 points and rookie Jamal Shead came off the bench for a career-high 16 points.

Karl-Anthony Towns kicked the game off with a 3, then dominated inside against the tag-team of Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk off the bench.

Towns grabbed an offensive rebound off a Josh Hart miss, and banked it home inside for an early 9-9 tie.

Towns would be off to a 27-point, 20-rebound performance.

“You don’t always need the ball in your hands to score rather you can create your own opportunities,” pointed out NBA Analyst Ross Kreines. “Karl-Anthony Towns does a great job here on the offensive glass with rebounds he can’t control he plays volleyball with then uses a power dribble to gather himself and finishes.”

2. Hukporti Looks Good Alongside KAT

Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Precious Achiuwa were helping KAT out on the offensive end, and Arial Hukporti played power forward at the end of the 1st quarter alongside KAT, and played well — with offensive and defensive rebounds, defensive intimidation, and a bucket inside.

The 6’11 Hukporti continued to play good ball in the 2nd and 3rd quarters — finishing with 6 pts on 3-3 shooting in 19 minutes and a +8. It was estimated on the post-game show that coach Thibs was playing KAT in the power forward role to get ready for a returning Mitchell Robinson, due at end of month.

Hukporti’s increased role also meant doom for Jericho Sims, on the trade block and indeed traded to Milwaukee a day after this game.

3. Knicks Close the Half on 12-0 Run to Go Up 17

Cameron Payne came off the NY bench to ignite NY at end of the 1st quarter and beginning of the 2nd quarter. A Cam Payne 3 and then buckets by Precious Achiuwa, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns enabled NY to pull out to a 6-pt lead midway through the 2nd quarter.

NY then went on a 12-0 run to end the 2nd quarter — turning a 56-51 game into a 68-51 halftime lead — Towns, Brunson, and Bridges scoring all 12 of the points for NY.

4. Knicks Waltz Early in 3rd

Jakob Poeltl did not come out for the 2nd half after suffering a hip pointer. Immanuel Quickley did some scoring for Toronto but he did not effect the game the way Tyrese Maxey does. Quickley finished the night with 9 points in 21 minutes and had a -17 — he seemed invisible.

Meanwhile NY was waltzing — extending their lead to 23 points after Precious Achiuwa hit a 3 from the corner and Josh Hart put home a tip shot. It looked like NY might romp.

5. Toronto Pulls Back within 12 to Start 4th

But Toronto came back — Kelly Olynyk with a drive and a 3, a 3 by Scottie Barnes, a 3 by Jamal Shead, an inside bucket and a 3 by Ochai Agbaji, some more buckets by Scottie Barnes and by end of the quarter Toronto was back within 12, at 98-86.

6. Toronto Goes on 12-0 Run in 4th to Pull Within 1 Point

NY still had a 16-pt lead at 108-92 with 9 minutes left in the game when Toronto went on a 12-0 run to pull to within 108-104. Barnes hit a shot, Gradey Dick hit a 3, Shead hit a shot, Olynyk scored inside — while NY was stuck at 108, their shots rimming out.

A Brunson pullup ended Toronto’s run but another Gradey Dick 3 pulled Toronto closer, and a deuce by Scottie Barnes and drive by Jamal Shead a minute later pulled Toronto to within 112-111 with 3:17 left.

6. Brunson & Hart & Knick Defense Take It

Josh Hart won a jump ball between he and Gradey Dick, then drove and missed a layup but put back his own offensive rebound for a 3-pt Knick lead.

Knick defense forced a Scottie Barnes miss, and on the other end Brunson drove and fed Josh Hart for a HUGE layup and 5-pt Knick lead with 1:31 left.

Toronto scored on a Jonathan Mogbo dunk, but after a Knick timeout, Jalen Brunson came down and hit a 20-foot pullup for a 118-113 Knick lead with 52 seconds left.

Scottie Barnes made free throws after being fouled by Precious Achiuwa but Brunson came down again — in a 3-pt game — and NAILED a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left for the clincher.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705279

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