TORONTO – Miles McBride scored 29 points and had seven assists as the New York Knicks earned a lopsided 145-101 victory over the undermanned Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
Jalen Brunson had 26 points and seven assists as New York (44-28) won its third straight. Former Raptors forward Precious Achiuwa had a double-double off the bench for 19 points and 13 boards as six Knicks reached double digits in scoring.
Rookie forward Gradey Dick scored a career-high 23 points as the Raptors (23-50) dropped their 12th game in a row.
Centre Kelly Olynyk of Kamloops, B.C., had 13 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in a game where Toronto never held a lead.
The 44-point difference was Toronto’s worst home loss in franchise history, topping a 41-point differential in a 139-98 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on March 5.
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The already depleted Raptors lost guard Ochai Agbaji to injury early in the game.
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Agbaji was injured within the first six minutes of the game, trying to convert an alley-oop pass from Olynyk. The 23-year-old guard missed the dunk and fell hard on his tailbone, immediately putting his hand on his lower back and his writhed on the floor in obvious pain.
He had to be helped to the locker room and did not return to the game with a right hip contusion.
Agbaji’s injury adds to Toronto’s already lengthy inactive list.
All-star forward Scottie Barnes (left hand fracture), centre Jakob Poeltl (left hand torn ligament), swingman RJ Barrett (personal reasons), point guard Immanuel Quickley (personal reasons), forward Chris Boucher (partial MCL tear), guard D.J. Carton (right ankle sprain) and Jontay Porter (personal reasons) were already out.
McBride dominated play in the first quarter, scoring 18 points and dishing out three assists in that period alone. The Knicks led by as many as 17 points, building a 45-33 lead to open up the game.
New York finished the second quarter on a 9-4 run, holding an 80-59 lead heading into intermission.
The Knicks didn’t let up when play resumed in the third. Brunson scored nine of his points in the quarter as New York outscored Toronto 31-21 in the period to take a 111-80 lead into the fourth.
A 15-0 Knicks run in the middle of the fourth sent most of the 19,133 fans at Scotiabank Arena to the exits early.
ANUNOBY & ACHIUWA — OG Anunoby and Achiuwa were honoured with video tributes in the first quarter. Toronto traded the pair Dec. 30 to the Knicks for Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., and Quickley. Only Achiuwa played Wednesday. Anunoby was recovering from elbow surgery and both Barrett and Quickley were inactive for personal reasons.
UP NEXT
The Raptors continue their homestand Sunday when they host the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Knicks travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs on Friday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
