The New York Knicks just barely scraped out a 122-120 win against the Toronto Raptors in their final preseason game tonight at Madison Square Garden. This wasn’t some easy-peasy walkover; it was a gritty rematch against a Toronto squad that absolutely clobbered the reserves earlier this week, and this time, both teams brought their starting fives mostly to the floor. Knicks coach Mike Brown was clearly determined to avoid a complete goose egg in preseason, because when things got tight, he threw his starters back in during the fourth quarter, and that proved to be just enough juice to pull off the victory.
Karl-Anthony Towns Dropped Dimes, But the Defense Was a Ghost
Man, this game kicked off on the right foot for the good guys, especially if you were watching Karl-Anthony Towns. He and Jalen Brunson were running those give-and-go sequences like they were championship-ready, money in the bank every time. When KAT took a breather around the three-minute mark, he already had five points, five boards, and six dimes, all on perfect shooting. We even saw a laser from deep. Seriously, every time he swishes the net this season, it’s gotta sound like a whispered, “Pay the man.” On the flip side, Scottie Barnes was looking sharp for Toronto, hitting his first four shots for an early nine points. That’s what’s got Raptors fans buzzing, right? Four scoring options in their starting lineup, plus a top-ten defense. But let’s be real, neither team was playing up to their defensive potential in the first frame. Both squads were shooting over 60% from all over the floor midway through. Even Mohamed Diawara, who was in Josh Hart’s spot and already carrying two fouls, drained a corner three. And get this: Miles McBride, who only had two triples through *four* preseason games before this, knocked down three threes in his first four minutes! That’s pure fire. Not everything was perfect though. Pacome Dadiet checked in and immediately got stripped while dribbling way too much. He eventually flushed a pass from Brunson, but honestly, there was nothing in that moment to change anyone’s mind about the youngster. Still, our guys were up 35-32 by the end of the first.
Bench Hustle and a Tight Squeeze
The bench came up huge, too. Andre Drummond was a steady hand, absolutely hoovering up rebounds with seven in just seven minutes. He hit a jump hook, tipped in a putback, and even sank a free throw or two. That definitely softened the sting of hearing about Mitchell Robinson doing his best Bill Russell impersonation somewhere else at TD Garden. Landry Shamet also made a sweet play off the bench, picking Jamal Shead’s pocket and then dishing it to a trailing Jordan Clarkson on the fast break. Just solid, professional minutes from those guys. Even with that hustle, Toronto didn’t just roll over. They fell behind by 10 points at one point, but then they started disrupting New York’s offense and clawed their way right back into it. This thing was too close for comfort.
So, when the fourth quarter rolled around and the game was on the line, Coach Brown didn’t mess around. He got the starters back on the floor, and that move gave them just enough energy to secure the 122-120 victory. It wasn’t pretty, it was down to the wire, but they got the job done. Now the real season begins. Let’s see if that late-game intensity carries over, because we know the regular season games aren’t going to be any easier.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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