Anthony, Knicks, hand Raptors first home loss
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) is closely guarded by Toronto Raptors forward James Johnson, left, and center Jonas Valanciunas during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, in Toronto. AP
TORONTO, Canada—Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and Lance Thomas added 17 off the bench as the New York Knicks beat Toronto 111-109 on Tuesday night to hand the Raptors their first home loss of the season.
DeMar DeRozan had a season-high 29 points for Toronto, while Kyle Lowry had 23 points and nine rebounds.
The victory was New York’s third on the road this season after winning just seven times away from Madison Square Garden last year.
The Raptors gave up their highest point total of the season and it was just the second time in eight games that Toronto has given up 100 or more points.
The Knicks were 11 for 23 (48 percent) from 3-point range, including 3 for 3 by Thomas, while the Raptors could only connect on 23.5 percent.
In a game that featured 13 lead changes, the Knicks led by 13 points less than a minute into the third quarter. The Raptors wiped that out by the end of the period before Cleanthony Early banked in a 30-footer at the buzzer to send the teams to the fourth tied at 85.
The Knicks took the lead for good with 8:43 remaining on a 3-pointer from Langston Galloway and hung on down the stretch.
Anthony had just two points in the first quarter, then scored 17 in the second to give the Knicks a 60-52 lead at the half. The 17 points in a quarter and 19 in a half were the most the Raptors have allowed an opponent so far this season, while the 60 points were the most Toronto has given up in a single half.
DeRozan wasted no time putting a bad shooting performance in Sunday’s 96-76 loss in Miami behind him. He went 5 for 8 for 10 points in the first quarter, matching the five baskets he registered on Sunday, to keep the Raptors close against the fast-starting Knicks.
