Field Level Media
Feb 8, 2018
Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Serge Ibaka added 13 points and eight rebounds to lead seven Toronto Raptors in double figures in a 113-88 win over the visiting New York Knicks on Thursday night at Air Canada Centre.
Michael Beasley had 21 points to lead the Knicks, who lost for the fifth straight game to fall a season-worst 10 games under .500 (23-33). No other New York player had more than Trey Burke's 12 points in the Knicks' first game without leading-scorer Kristaps Porzingis, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL in Tuesday's loss to Milwaukee.
Toronto's bench dominated New York's, as five Raptor reserves scored in double figures, led by Pascal Siakam's 14 points. Jakob Poeltl had 13 points and Delon Wright and CJ Miles each added 11 for Toronto, which moved to 23-4 at home. Toronto has won four straight games and six of seven.
With Porzingis and Enes Kanter (mouth) out, the Knicks had no answer for the Raptors inside. Toronto outrebounded New York 52-43 and held the Knicks to 40 percent shooting, including 26 percent from 3-point range.
Aside from Beasley, New York's other four starters -- Tim Hardaway Jr., Kyle O'Quinn, Jarrett Jack and Courtney Lee -- combined for 13-of-37 shooting.
The Knicks kept it close early, trailing 17-16 late in the first quarter, but the Raptors took an 11-point lead midway through the second quarter and went into the halftime break up 52-41. Toronto extended the lead in the third and fourth quarters, outscoring the Knicks in the second half, 61-47.
New York heads to Indiana on Sunday for a matchup with the Pacers, while the Raptors head on the road Sunday for the first time after a 4-0 homestand with a matinee tilt at Charlotte.
The Knicks are currently on a 2-8 stretch that has them 5 1/2 games out of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
--Field Level Media