NBA: Julius Randle leads the way as Knicks stave off Raptors
FILE–Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/AFP
Julius Randle had 32 points and 11 rebounds and the visiting New York Knicks held off the Toronto Raptors’ rally for a 112-108 victory Friday night.
Jalen Brunson added 26 points and eight assists for the Knicks, who have won four straight.
Article continues after this advertisementQuentin Grimes scored 16 points for New York, Immanuel Quickley scored 13 points and Mitchell Robinson had 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Fred VanVleet scored 28 points for the Raptors, who have lost the first two games of a six-game homestand. Gary Trent Jr. added 27 points, Pascal Siakam had 18 points and 13 rebounds and O.G. Anunoby scored 13 points.
The Knicks scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to take an 11-point lead, 89-78.
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11 REB
6 ThreesJulius Randle led the Knicks to victory in Toronto 💪 pic.twitter.com/i6h5MDMlzD
— NBA (@NBA) January 7, 2023
Scottie Barnes scored four straight points to cut the lead to seven with 9:22 remaining in the fourth. Miles McBride answered with two straight 3-pointers.
The lead reached 16 on Brunson’s jumper with 4:03 to play. Siakam hit a corner 3-pointer with 49 seconds left, trimming the lead to four. Randle made one of two free throws, but Trent made a 3-pointer and the lead was two. Brunson made a jumper and a free throw with 22 seconds to go.
The Knicks led 30-26 after one quarter behind Randle’s 19 points.
The Knicks opened the second quarter with an 11-2 run. Brunson made two straight 3-pointers to increase the lead to 17 with 5:27 remaining in the quarter. Chris Boucher scored the final six points of the first half, trimming New York’s lead to 57-47.
Randle had 22 first-half points as the Knicks shot 52.4 percent (22-for-42) in the half.
Toronto shot 40.5 percent (17-for-42) in the first half in which VanVleet and Trent each had 11 points.
Toronto started the third quarter with a 12-4 surge. Christian Koloko’s dunk cut the lead to one with 3:06 to play in the third. Randle and Brunson responded with consecutive 3-pointers. VanVleet scored the next six points to cut the lead to one. Quickley finished the third quarter with two free throws that gave New York an 81-78 lead,
New York was without RJ Barrett (lacerated finger).
