How It Happened:Powered by Willy Hernangomez’s 20 first half points, the Knicks built a three-point advantage at the end of the first half. New York continued to look strong through three quarters of action as the home squad went toe-to-toe with the third-best team in the Eastern Conference. However, the Raptors drastically increased their output in the fourth frame by reeling off a 22-7 run to extend a three-point lead early in the quarter to 18 with five minutes remaining in the game. Toronto outscored the Knicks 32-17 in that fourth period en route to the 108-92 victory and 50th win of the season. Once again, DeMar DeRozan was the offensive catalyst for the Raptors, leading his club with 35 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the floor in just 29 minutes. Kyle Lowry added 17 points and 11 assists in the final meeting between the two teams this season.
Knick of the Night:Hernangomez started strong and finished with a team-high 24 points. The rookie connected on 9-of-15 shots from the field he buried 5-of-6 attempts at the charity stripe. In 30 minutes, Hernangomez also snagged 11 boards to go along with five assists. Notables:Courtney Lee posted 14 points, Mindaugas Kuzminskas contributed 12 points, and Ron Baker dished out eight dimes.
News and Notes:Carmelo Anthony (sore knee), Kristaps Porzingis (sore back), and Lance Thomas (hip) were all unavailable for today’s contest. Statistically Speaking:Toronto outscored New York 18-11 in the open floor today at the Garden.
Next Up:The Knicks will host the Sixers in the regular season finale at MSG on Wednesday night. Watch all the action on MSG Network at 8 PM.