One week shy of the anniversary of the transformative trade that landed OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa in New York at the end of 2023, the Knicks had no problem taking care of a sinking Raptors squad that sports the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
A nearly flawless Anunoby and the surging Knicks posted their ninth win in their past 11 games heading into a Christmas matinee against Victor Wembanyama and the improved Spurs, pulling away in the second quarter Monday night after a sluggish start for a 139-125 victory over Toronto at the Garden.
Anunoby registered 31 points on a sizzling 13-for-15 shooting performance — making his first 11 sH๏τs — and he finished with a plus-25 rating against his former team.
“OG was a monster,” Josh Hart said after the game. “Offensively, knocking down sH๏τs — midrange, post, 3s, he did a little bit of everything.
“And then obviously on the defensive end, he did what he does. We have great vibes right now, and we just have to continue that every game.”
Karl-Anthony Towns also posted another strong overall game with 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven ᴀssists before fouling out, making up for a quiet scoring night from Jalen Brunson, who finished with 12 (4-for-13) along with seven ᴀssists.
Veteran guard Landry Shamet played in only the final 1:20 in his Knicks debut late in the game after rehabbing a preseason shoulder injury, and the expected bench nailed his first 3-pointer of the season. But reserve guard Cam Payne netted 11 of his season-high 19 in a 40-24 second quarter eruption for the Knicks (19-10).
RJ Barrett, who was traded by the Knicks to his hometown team with now-injured Immanuel Quickley (elbow) in the Anunoby swap on Dec. 30 of last year, scored 23 points and Scottie Barnes had 24 as the skidding Raptors (7-23) dropped their eight straight game.
Anunoby threw down an ᴀssortment of dunks and was 4-for-6 from 3-point range after entering the game in a 17-for-50 shooting slump over his previous four appearances, while also wearing tape over his surgically repaired left elbow in Saturday’s win in New Orleans.
“Just normal stuff that guys go through during the course of the season,” Tom Thibodeau said of Anunoby. “When you play, you’re going to get hit. There’s things that happen, but he’s playing really well.
“Just keep doing all the things that he does, the defense, and he can play at a really high level even when he doesn’t shoot well. We know he’s one of the best shooters in the league. So, in the end it’ll be there.”
Brunson was held scoreless in the first quarter, missing four attempts from the floor and two from the free-throw line.
But Miles McBride (12 points) came off the bench to nail two 3-pointers in his first minute on the floor and Payne buried another from deep as the Knicks carried a 30-28 edge through one quarter.
An inside bucket by Barrett nudged the Raptors ahead early in the second, but Payne nailed two more treys and a traditional 3-point play amid a 15-2 run for an 11-point Knicks cushion. Towns also converted an and-1 and Anunoby threw down a dunk in the spurt.
“Great energy [after the first quarter], we were getting stops, and then Cam and Deuce came in and changed the game,” Anunoby said. “It’s still weird playing against them, but it’s always nice to see those people.”
