Knicks Overpower Short-Handed Raptors to Reach NBA Cup Semifinal
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By Ava Tremblay
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Summary:
- Jalen Brunson dropped 35 points, including 20 in the first quarter, as New York Knicks pulled away after a strong defensive second quarter.
- The Toronto Raptors, playing without Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, leaned on Brandon Ingram’s 31-point night but couldn’t keep pace.
- OG Anunoby’s second-quarter block helped fuel a 12-2 Knicks run that shifted the game for good.
Jalen Brunson came out blazing on Tuesday night, and the Toronto Raptors never really recovered. He poured in 35 points, with 20 of them coming in the opening quarter, and the New York Knicks rolled past a short-handed Raptors team 117-101 in their Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinal.
The win sends New York to Las Vegas, where it will meet the Orlando Magic on Saturday.
Missing Players Changed the Raptors’ Lineup
Karl-Anthony Towns, who wasn’t even sure he’d play until warmup, ended up giving the Knicks exactly what they needed, finishing with 14 points and 16 rebounds as New York (17-7) picked up its fourth straight win.
Toronto (15-11) had Brandon Ingram doing everything he could to keep them in it, putting up 31 points along with seven assists and six rebounds. Scottie Barnes added 13 points, five boards and four assists.
This run marked the first time the Raptors have ever made it to the knockout stage of the in-season tournament, but they had to do it without two key pieces. Immanuel Quickley was out with an illness, while RJ Barrett remained sidelined after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his sprained right knee on Monday.
Those absences reshaped the lineup. Jamal Shead, listed as questionable earlier in the day with a quad contusion, stepped in for Quickley and turned in one of his best performances of the season. He scored 18 points and handed out seven assists. Ochai Agbaji started in Barrett’s spot but wasn’t able to get much going offensively, finishing with only three points.
Turning Point for Knicks
For the Knicks, the turning point came when their defence locked in after the first quarter. Toronto came out hot, taking a 39-37 lead after Ingram dropped 17 in the opening frame.
However, once New York tightened up, the Raptors’ lack of depth became obvious. Only Ja’Kobe Walter (13 points) and Collin Murray-Boyles (four points) provided anything off the bench through the first three quarters.
A key moment arrived early in the second. Former Raptor OG Anunoby chased down AJ Lawson and blocked what looked like an easy bucket, keeping New York’s surge alive during a 12-2 run that flipped the momentum.
Toronto’s struggles were most glaring in the second quarter, where it went 5-for-21 from the field and all six reserves who saw the floor failed to score.
Up next, the Knicks will head to Vegas to face the Magic in the semifinal on Saturday, while the Raptors will move on to Miami to play the Heat on Monday in the 2025-26 NBA Season.
