OG Anunoby Nearly Perfect As Knicks Crush Raptors

With the Toronto Raptors facing his New York Knicks on Monday night, OG Anunoby got to be the ghost of both Christmas past and present.

Anunoby certainly haunted his original NBA employers on Monday as the Knicks torched Toronto by a 139-125 final at Madison Square Garden, one beautified only by a sluggish fourth quarter for the hosts. With the win, the Knicks have won four in a row going into their nearly-annual Christmas excursion.

Anunoby hit each of his first 11 shots en route to victory, ending the night with 31 points amidst an offensive breakout--one where Jalen Brunson did not hit a single shot from the field in the opening half. Anunoby shared the team lead in scoring with Karl-Anthony Towns, as the duo combined to shoot 24-of-30 from the field. Towns fouled out early in the fourth quarter but managed to secure his 18th consecutive double-double (10 rebounds), breaking a tie with Patrick Ewing for the fourth-longest such streak in Knicks history.

Dec 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) looks to shoot a three point shot against Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

All that and more was part of a sterling offensive showing for the Knicks, who fell just short of shooting 60 percent from the field. New York also sank 17 three-pointers and dished out 34 assists on 51 successful tries. Propelled by four three-pointers, Cameron Payne scored 17 points off the bench, his best output as a Knick to date.

Though Anunoby stole the show, Payne's breakout more or less served as a momentum shifter for the Knicks (19-10): the reeling Raptors kept things close in the early going, thanks in part to a strong showcase from former Knicks franchise face RJ Barrett and Chris Boucher off the bench. Toronto led for a majority of the first quarter thanks to a 52 percent out from the field before Payne's three-pointer gave them a slim two-point lead after the first.

A different kind of Payne three-pointer, a successful and-one, help permanently place momentum on the Knicks' side, as it was part of a 10-0 run in the early stages of the second that created a lasting lead for the hosts.

All other tallies in that stretch were earned by either Anunoby or Towns and it was capped off when Josh Hart found the former for a dunk that led to a Toronto timeout and pre-Yuletide glee for those gathered at MSG. The lead got as high as 21 before the halftime horn sounded thanks to Anunoby's fellow former Raptor Precious Achiuwa hitting a three-pointer in the penultimate minute. New York won the period 40-24 to more or less snuff out any idea of a Canadian upset.

Dec 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts in front of Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Further scoring antics from the aforementioned Anunoby and Towns solidified the Knicks' lead in the third, which saw the duo put up 27 of the team's 41 points. Monday marked the first game where the Knicks featured two 40-point periods since March 1988.

Much to the chagrin of Knicks boss Tom Thibodeau, the Raptors narrowed the gap in the final period but New York had things padded well enough to render the final rush irrelevant. Barrett had 23 points with six assists and rebounds each while Scottie Barnes led the visitors' scoring tally with 24. Not only did Monday stage the eighth straight loss for the rebuilding, reeling Raptors (7-23) but they also fell to 1-13 on the road.

This brief Knicks homestand concludes on Wednesday, when the Knicks open the NBA's annual Christmas day festivities against the San Antonio Spurs (12 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC).

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