Knicks get 1st win in Canada since '15, beat Raptors
TORONTO — Julius Randle had 32 points and 11 rebounds, Mitchell Robinson had 10 points and 18 rebounds before fouling out and the New York Knicks won their fourth straight game, beating the Toronto Raptors 112-108 on Friday night.
"We had the confidence to get this win on the road," Randle said. "It's big for us."
Jalen Brunson scored 10 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Quentin Grimes had 16 and Immanuel Quickley 13 as the Knicks won north of the border for the first time in more than seven years, snapping an 11-game road losing streak against the Raptors.
New York's previous win in Toronto was a 111-109 victory on Nov. 10, 2015. After that game, the referees acknowledged missing Knicks star Carmelo Anthony step out of bounds on a pivotal play late in the fourth quarter.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau reached 100 victories with the team.
"I'm glad I'm a part of all 100," Randle said. "Thibs has come in here and created a great culture for all of us. He's been amazing."
Randle got the Knicks rolling by scoring 19 points in the first quarter.
"It got us off to a good start," he said. "Those are important on the road."
New York is 12-8 on the road. Only Brooklyn (13-8) has won more often away from home this season.
Fred VanVleet scored 28 points and Gary Trent Jr. had 27 for the struggling Raptors. Toronto has lost seven of its past eight at home and 11 of 14 overall.
"They outplayed us," VanVleet said. "They deserved to win."
Toronto's Pascal Siakam scored a career-high 52 points in a Dec. 21 win at New York. He shot 4 for 14 Friday and finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
"I just don't think he felt he had a good rhythm," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.
Toronto trailed by three points through three quarters but gave up an 8-0 run to begin the fourth before battling back. Siakam's 3-pointer with 49 seconds left made it 107-104. Randle split a pair at the line before Trent connected from 3-point range, cutting it to 108-106, but Brunson answered with a three-point play, putting the Knicks up 111-106 with 22 seconds left.
Trent scored on a driving basket but the Raptors couldn't get any closer.
"It's about time we won one of those types of games where we make free throws at the end and execute down the stretch," Randle said.
Randle missed from 3 on his first shot of the game and then made six straight, five from long range, as New York led 30-26 after one.
"He got going and it got us going," Thibodeau said of Randle's hot start.
The Knicks led by as many as 17 in the second and were up 57-47 at halftime. New York took an 81-78 lead to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Brunson had eight assists. … F RJ Barrett missed his fifth straight game because of a lacerated right finger, telling reporters Friday that the injury happened when one hand slammed into the other, causing a cut that required multiple stitches that have yet to be removed.
Raptors: Had 11 bench points in the first half. That was four more points than the bench scored in either of Toronto's previous two games, both losses. The Raptors finished with 15 bench points. … Scottie Barnes shot 2 for 10 and finished with seven points. … Trent has scored 20 or more in a career-high six straight. ... O.G. Anunoby scored 13 points.
OUT OF TUNE
The anthem singer mistakenly performed "O Canada" ahead of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Milwaukee on Monday night.
Raptors: Host Portland on Sunday.