Last night the Toronto Raptors ran into a hot Knicks team and lost 116 to 94 at Madison Square Garden. It was a difficult night for Toronto, especially early, when the Knicks exploded out of the gates and built a lead the Raptors could not fully erase. The final margin stung, but it did not erase everything this group has built in recent weeks.
What Happened
New York jumped to a huge early lead, pouring in 41 points in the first quarter and forcing Toronto to play catch-up for most of the night. The Knicks did damage from deep and dominated the glass, and those two things together set the tone. Toronto did make a run in the middle of the game and cut the lead to single digits in the third quarter, but the Knicks answered and closed the door in the fourth. The Raptors never found enough rhythm on offence and they paid for it.
Key Players and Numbers
Josh Hart led the Knicks with a monster all-around night: 20 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists. He hit big shots, pushed the pace, and took control in the moments that mattered. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 22 points and 8 rebounds and was an interior force. Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride also made big early contributions to set the tone. The Knicks outrebounded Toronto 61 to 40 and outscored the Raptors on second-chance points by a wide margin.
For the Raptors Scottie Barnes led the team with 18 points and played hard from start to finish. Immanuel Quickley had 19 points and tried to spark the comeback. Brandon Ingram struggled for efficiency and turnovers were a problem for Toronto, especially in the first half when New York grabbed momentum. The Raptors shot poorly from three and could not sustain their mid-game rally.
Standings and Context: Are They Still Second in the East?
Yes! Even after the loss the Raptors remained near the top of the East. The standings on Nov 30 showed Toronto sitting second in the Eastern Conference with a record in the mid teens for wins. The Detroit Pistons were in first place, and Toronto sat a couple of games back of first. In short, one bad night did not erase the strong position the Raptors had earned with that long winning run. To catch Detroit and hold the top perch, Toronto will need to limit the lapses like the first quarter yesterday and keep winning the close games.
What Needs to Happen Going Forward
A few clear things emerged from this game that Toronto must address to remain a genuine title dark horse:
- Win the battle on the boards. The Knicks dominated the glass and that created second chance points.
- Fixing box out fundamentals and energy on the glass is critical.
- Protect the ball. Turnovers gave New York easy opportunities early.
- Limiting giveaways will keep Toronto in games when shots are not falling.
- Start faster as that first quarter got away from them. If Toronto can avoid ugly starts they will be in position to control more games.
What’s Next for the Raptors
The Raptors returned home and have a chance to regroup quickly. Their next scheduled game is here at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on December 2. That will be a chance to get back on track in front of the Scotiabank Arena crowd and reset before a tough December slate. Keeping health, rotation balance, and energy up will be essential heading into that stretch.
Final Thoughts from a Long-Time Fan
This loss stung (and so did the last Kryptonite overtime one). The start was ugly and the scoreboard clearly reflected it, but remember where this team came from a few weeks ago. They have climbed into a serious spot in the standings and they did it by playing together, defending, and sharing the load.
If they shore up rebounding, cut down careless turnovers, and bring the same energy we saw during their winning run, this was a bump, not a cliff. I stay proud watching them fight back midgame, and I stay hopeful even in defeat. Imagine how good they will be if they keep improving between now and spring. I for one am still watching, still cheering, and still believing.
👏 Let’s Go Raptors 👏
