The Toronto Raptors defeated the New York Knicks 95-83 at Madison Square Garden tonight. Despite having a strong first half and subpar third quarter the Knicks would squander any chance at winning with an awful fourth quarter. The Raptors would outscore the Knicks 29-12 in that quarter and that really made tonight’s loss that much worse.
The Raptors had a fantastic game from DeMar DeRozan as he scored 25 points. He used his midrange jumper and an array of moves to get to the free throw line. Tonight he really was able to get points for the Raptors when they needed them. His teammate Kyle Lowry also had a strong game. Lowry scored 15 points and dished out 11 assists. He really is a difference maker for the Raptors and continues to play well despite the trade rumors. Both DeRozan and Lowry were huge tonight and each provided key moments in this game.
For the Knicks, they continued their struggles at home. They had solid games from Andrea Bargnani and Beno Udrih, but it came in a loss. In particular Bargnani really disappeared in the second half and never looked aggressive. In the first half he really was aggressive and that led to the team having a lead. But in the second half he would only attempt five shots and scored just four points. He grabbed 12 rebounds, but had just three in the second half. Udrih on the other hand really played well. He scored 15 points, passed for ten assists, and also racked up four steals. He really played a strong game and looked to do many things. This performance came in a loss, but overall he has to continue to play at this level.
The Knicks continue to struggle and tonight was another pathetic loss. The Raptors made plays late, but the Knicks showed zero fight.
Carmelo Anthony missed his second straight game with a left ankle sprain and his absence really was felt tonight.
This season really has been nothing but disappointment after disappointment. This team continues to look lost with no leader around. James Dolan reportedly met with the team, but that didn’t help. They looked strong early, but the second half really was the difference.
The Knicks and Raptors will play again tomorrow night, as the Knicks look to get back on track.
Photo Credit: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
No comments:
Post a Comment