Knicks takeaways from Monday’s 113-104 loss to Raptors, including no answer for OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr.
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The Knicks got off to a hot start Monday at MSG but cooled off midway through and never recovered, suffering a 113-104 loss against the Toronto Raptors and snapping a three-game winning streak.
Five things to know from Monday’s game
1. Still without Nerlens Noel (left knee), whom head coach Tom Thibodeau said was a game-time decision entering the 7:30 tip-off, Julius Randle picked up the slack. Among a starting five that included Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, Randle ignited the Knicks with an 18-point first quarter.
However, Randle fizzled from there and scored just four more points. Randle finished with 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including a 4-for-7 clip from long range, while adding nine rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes.
2. Fueled by Randle’s four triples on five attempts in the initial 12 minutes, New York’s opening-period domination featured eight three-pointers. Fournier and Barrett complemented Randle, adding two apiece, as the Knicks commanded a 34-26 lead.
Barrett kept the Raptors from a New York blowout, stepping up in the fourth quarter and finishing with a team-high 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including a 5-for-8 clip from deep. Barrett added six rebounds in 39 minutes.
3. After a jumper by Fournier at the second quarter’s 4:32 mark, the Knicks built a largest lead of 15 points, 50-35. Then the Raptors clapped back, going on an 18-7 run into halftime.
4. While Randle struggled, OG Anunoby and Toronto heated up throughout a third quarter dominated by the Raptors. The Knicks relinquished the lead 2:20 into the second half, going behind 61-59 after a Gary Trent Jr. three.
New York traded blows before Toronto took over with a 68-66 edge at the 7:22 mark, soon ballooning into a largest deficit of 14, 91-77. A pair of Immanuel Quickley free throws with 14.4 seconds left trimmed the Knicks’ hole to 91-79 entering the fourth quarter.
5. Although the Knicks showed some fight in the…
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Source : yahoo
