OG & Knicks Give NY Early XMas Gift: CLOBBER Raptors. NY 139 Toronto 125

December 24, 2024 LouV 2024-25 0

The Knicks gave their fans an early Christmas gift by DEMOLISHING the Toronto Raptors on a festive Monday night at Madison Square Garden, 139-125.

First Cameron Payne came off the bench to ignite the Knicks in the 2nd quarter, with 14 points in 9 minutes of pure energy.

Then the Knicks defense took over, and Karl-Anthony Towns started powering to the basket time after time like a point guard as NY built a 20-point halftime lead.

And then OG Anunoby lit the night on fire — with 11 straight buckets, many of them 3’s — as NY built a 30+ point lead in the 4th quarter. An absolute romp until Toronto narrowed the margin in the final minutes but were never in the game.

OG would finish with 31 pts on 13-15 shooting (4-6 from 3); KAT had 31 pts on 11-15 shooting (1-3 from 3), 10 rebounds, and 7 assists; and Cam Payne had 19 pts in 15 minutes on 7-10 shooting (4-7 from 3).

“I thought guys were playing together, creating advantages; hitting the open man; another high assist game,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “The cutting was good. We’re scoring plenty of points.”

NY improves to 19-10; Toronto falls to 7-23.

1. Cam Payne Energizes NY in 2nd Quarter

RJ Barrett — back at Madison Square Garden for the 2nd time since the trade last February — started the game with a bucket, and scored numerous times in the 1st quarter along with Scottie Barnes as Toronto played evenly with NY. The Knicks held a 30-28 lead after 1 quarter.

Barnes started the 2nd quarter with a bucket, and RJ Barrett hit a drive to put Toronto up 32-30. It would be the last time they led.

Cameron Payne, who came off the Knick bench with 2:43 left in the 1st quarter, hit a 3 near end of the quarter and then really got cooking in the 2nd quarter. He hit a drive to tie the game, and a 3 to put NY up 35-32 with 9:41 left.

Payne hit a drive-and-1 to put NY up 40-34.

2. Knick Defense Takes Over

Meanwhile the Knick defense started to get serious — with OG Anunoby leading the intensity, knocking away dribbles and scrambling for loose balls. Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Payne followed suit and Toronto were on their heels.

3. Towns Powers to Bucket Like Point Guard

And then Karl-Anthony Towns started to take it to the rim with cat-like drives — big cat like Lion or Tiger, not house cat.

Jalen Brunson was having a tough night offensively — at one point he was 0-7 and 0-3 from the free throw line. But he didn’t sulk — he continued to be aggressive and find teammates with passes. Brunson would finally hit a bucket late in the 1st half — and finish with 12 pts on 4-13 shooting with 7 assists, 2 steals and a +8.

4. OG Lights Night on Fire

NY took a 70-52 lead into the intermission, and then in the 3rd quarter it was more KAT powering to the basket to begin the period — and then OG caught FIRE — hitting shot after shot, 3 after 3.

“OG Anunoby takes away opportunities on one end of the floor by defending hard while making u earn everything,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines, “And on the other end he creates his own opportunities with his slashing/cutting leading to good looks, action off ball creating space for his jumper while forcing nothing.”

It was an absolute NY romp. Miles McBride got into the action with 3’s and drives; Brunson was scoring; Mikal Bridges was hitting shots from all over; Josh Hart was hitting teammates with Great passes, or hitting drives.

A winter wonderland.

NY led by 33 early in the 4th then took the foot off the gas a bit, and Toronto got back to within 17 with 4:23 left. A Jalen Brunson drive gave the Knicks more daylight but Toronto kept coming — pulling to within 13 with 2:35 left after a A.J. Lawson 3 and free throws by Jamison Battle.

But Jericho Sims free throws and a McBride pullup put NY back on top by 17 with 1:33 left, icing the game.

Merry Christmas.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401704963

 

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