What does one do when things get tough? It’s simple, really: Simply call on a couple of friends. The New York Knicks did exactly that on Wednesday night in their 112-98 win over RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and the Toronto Raptors.
Jan. 8, 2025: Final
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KAT returns to the floor
Tom Thibodeau‘s squad was down pretty badly entering the game. Having lost its last three games, New York welcomed Karl-Anthony Towns back into the starting lineup, and it paid immediate dividends.
Towns, 29, finished tied with a team-high of 27 points. Shooting 9 of 14 from the floor, including a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown, Towns also led the squad with 13 boards (Josh Hart chipped in with 11 rebounds).
If OG Anunoby could play his former team every night, he might be destined for the Basketball Hall of Fame. Anunoby shot 8 of 13, including 4 of 6 from three, to finish tied with a Knicks’ team-high of 27 points.
From the start, the Knicks played with much more energy—as opposed to featuring tired legs on Monday night. Sure, Towns’s return provided a nice jolt, but New York looked refreshed.
They led the Raptors 28-24 after one quarter and maintained that slim four-point lead at halftime. It was the third quarter, however, when Jalen Brunson‘s team separated itself from Toronto, outscoring them 31-25.
The Knicks’ former friends
On the other side, Barrett and Quickley didn’t have stellar nights at their old stomping grounds, Madison Square Garden. It was rather average, to stay the least.
Quickley led Toronto with 22 points and 5 assists while shooting 3 of 6 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Barrett ended with 16 points on 7 of 15 shooting from the floor.
A monster difference in the game was New York’s edge on the boards. KAT and company outrebounded the Raptors by 10 in the game (43-33), and only one Raptors player finished in double-digits (Jakob Poetl, 10).
Keep an eye on Mikal Bridges
As Walt “Clyde” Frazier uttered on the MSG Networks broadcast, Mikal Bridges seemed to be “aiming” his shot.
Bridges shot a woeful 4 of 18 from the floor, including an insanely rough 2-11 from three-point land. His defense obviously remained strong, and he continued seeking the shot, but it was definitely a rough night for one piece of the Villanova boys.
Worrying about Bridges is premature, however. Nothing from his previous games suggests that he’s bound for a skid—shooting 10-20 in the loss to the Orlando Magic, 8-18 against the Chicago Bulls, 10-19 in Oklahoma City, and a stellar 12-17 in the win over the Utah Jazz.
Still, considering how shaky he looked when shooting, it’s something to monitor while moving forward.
What’s next for the Knicks?
The 25-13 New York Knicks are now 2.5 games behind the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Celtics. Next up is the much-anticipated rematch with the tremendous Oklahoma City Thunder this Friday night.
Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden.
