Well that was easy.
It was supposed to be a tough game — the Knicks playing the 2nd of a back-to-back at Madison Square Garden against a Toronto team needing a win to avoid the Play-in tournament and make the playoffs as one of the top 8 teams in the East.
NY — coming off an exhilarating win the night before against Boston — needed one more win, or a Cleveland loss, with 2 games left this season to clinch 3rd place in the East.
But instead of a tough game — the Knicks beat Toronto easily, 112-95, on a Friday night at the Garden, holding a double-digit lead for a good part of the last 3 quarters. And NY learned in the 4th quarter that they didn’t even need to win to clinch 3rd because Cleveland got trounced by Atlanta in Atlanta.
Toronto’s last game is against Brooklyn — and they apparently treated this Knick game as one they’d probably lose as they sat Immanuel Quickley (who has been nursing a plantar fasciitis issue and not playing back-to-backs) and RJ Barrett (nursing a sore shoulder).
NY took command of the game early in the 2nd quarter on a scoring burst by Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson, and Landry Shamet off the bench — which was then advanced by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to pull out to a 15-pt halftime lead. NY pushed back a Toronto run in the 3rd that cut the lead to 9 — and cruised after that — leading by 20 at one point in the 4th.
Jalen Brunson scored at will all night — 29 pts on 12-18 shooting (2-5 from 3), while Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 pts (on 8-12 shooting, 1-3 from 3), with 10 rebounds.
Mikal Bridges looked lively and relaxed — adding 13 pts on 5-10 shooting (2-6 from 3) with 3 steals. OG Anunoby tweaked his ankle in the 2nd quarter and left the game after 15 minutes of play. After the amazing 26-pt game the night before, Josh Hart only took 2 shots in 30 minutes, but was a big part of the strong Defense NY played all night, limiting Brooklyn to 95 pts.
Ariel Hukporti had a strong night off the bench (Mitchell Robinson not playing the back-to-back).
Toronto was led by Brandon Ingram (16 pts), Scottie Barnes (15 pts), Ja’Kobe Walter (15 pts), and Sandro Mamukelashvili (17 pts off the bench).
“It’s great to be in this position, but it doesn’t really mean anything,” said KAT afterwards about clinching 3rd place in the East. “At the end of the day, when you get in the playoffs, you’ve got to find a way to win four of those seven.”
NY improves to 53-28, locking in 3rd place in the East. Boston won so locks in 2nd place with a 55-26 record. Toronto falls to 45-36.
1. Knicks Jump Out to Big Lead — But Lead by Only 22-21 After 1
NY came out gunning and jumped out to a 14-3 lead on buckets by Bridges, Brunson, and KAT.
KAT to the basket 💪 pic.twitter.com/WXn0U3x0xe
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 10, 2026
But Toronto pushed back on buckets by Ingram, Walker, Jonathan Mogbo, and Mamukelashvili — a Mamukelashvili free throw giving Toronto a 21-20 lead.
Jordan Clarkson scored the last bucket of the 1st quarter to put NY on top after 1, 22-21.
2. NY Bench Takes Command Early in 2nd Quarter
The Knick 2nd team of Clarkson, Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, and Ariel Hukporti went on a run to start the 2nd quarter that put NY in control of the game.
Shamet started the quarter with a 3 off an OG assist, Hukporti drew an offensive foul on Jakob Poetl, Clarkson hit a floater, Shamet stole the ball, Alvarado cross-overed his man and hit a 3, Hukporti drew another offensive foul on Poetl, then pulled down an offensive rebound and fed Clarkson for a deuce and NY was up 32-21.
Jose Alvarado puts his man on the deck and drills the three 🎯 pic.twitter.com/Ecuc6GNzjB
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 11, 2026
NY’s starters then returned and upped the lead — with KAT taking it to the rim and Brunson scoring from everywhere.
NY took a 51-36 halftime lead.
3. Knicks Push Back Minor Toronto Run in 3rd
Brunson and KAT continued to score at will early in the 3rd, as NY pushed their lead to 17 pts.
KAT THROWS IT DOWN pic.twitter.com/CLOJelWhjD
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 11, 2026
Toronto launched a minor run — consecutive 3’s by Ja’Kobe Walker and A.J. Lawson and buckets by Jamal Shead and Ingram —Â to cut a 64-47 Knick lead with 6:18 left down to 9 pts at 66-57.
But Brunson and Bridges fired back with buckets, Brunson hit a 3 =, and Hukporti scored inside and just like that NY was back up by 18 pts at 75-57 with 2:28 left in the 3rd.
NY led by 15 after 3 quarters, 79-64.
4. NY Cruises in 4th
Scottie Barnes hit a drive-and-1 to start the 4th and slice NY’s lead to 12, but NY’s second team again took charge — with Jordan Clarkson scoring 4 straight pts and Landry Shamet hitting a 3 to put NY up by 16 at 86-70.
Grady Dick came in and hit a 3 to pull Toronto within 12 — but Ariel Hukporti scored consecutive drives inside — the later a dunk off a Mohamed Diawara assist and NY was up 92-76.
AIR HUK pic.twitter.com/q3ST7f3ddh
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 11, 2026
It was at about that time that the Atlanta-Cleveland final score was posted — Cleveland had been losing big all evening but now it was official — the Cleveland loss clinched 3rd for NY so the game became meaningless, as Boston was winning big too so NY had no chance at 2nd.
The game still meant something for Toronto, but NY was in command and continued to cruise. Mikal Bridges hit a 3 — Mamukelashvili responded with a 3 — and Bridges responded to that with a 3 for a 98-81 Knick lead.
NY emptied the bench with 3:35 left in the game, up 106-89.
Be the first to comment