One week before the anniversary of the transformative deal that brought OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa to New York at the end of 2024, the Knicks easily took care of a struggling Raptors team with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
The nearly flawless Anunoby and the surging Knicks picked up their ninth win in their last 11 games before a Christmas matchup against Victor Wimpanyama and the improved Spurs, pulling away in the second quarter on Monday night after a slow start to a 139-125 win over Toronto at the Garden.
Anunoby scored 31 points on a stunning 13-for-15 performance — making his first 11 shots — and finished with a plus-25 rating against his former team.
Karl-Anthony Towns also had another solid game overall with 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists before fouling out, making up for a quiet night in scoring from Jalen Brunson, who finished with 12 points (4-for-13) in addition to seven assists.
Veteran guard Landry Shamet played just 1:20 of his Knicks debut late in the game after rehabbing a preseason shoulder injury, and the expected bench hit his first 3-pointer of the season.
But reserve guard Cam Payne scored 11 of his season-high 19 in a 40-24 second-quarter rampage for the Knicks (19-10).
RJ Barrett, who was traded by the Knicks to his hometown team along with the now-injured Immanuel Quickley (elbow) in the Anunoby swap on Dec. 30 of last year, scored 23 points and Scottie Barnes scored 24 points in the Raptors' win (7-23). ) They lost their eighth straight game.
Anunoby made a variety of shots and was 4-for-6 from 3-point range after entering the game on a 17-for-50 shooting slump over his previous four starts, while also wearing tape over his surgically repaired left elbow in Saturday's game. Winning in New Orleans.
“It's just normal things that players go through during the season,” Tom Thibodeau said of Anunoby. “When you're playing, you're going to get hit. There are things that happen, but he's playing really well.
“It comes down to it, there will be different periods where the ball goes in, and sometimes it doesn't. Just keep doing all the things he does, defending, and he can play at a very high level even as a player.” When he's not shooting well we know he's one of the best shooters in the league. So, eventually there will be.”
Brunson was held scoreless in the first quarter, missing four attempts from the floor and two from the free throw line.
But Myles McBride (12 points) came off the bench to score two three-pointers in his first minute on the floor and Payne hit another from deep to give the Knicks a 30-28 lead through one quarter.
An inside bucket by Barrett pushed the Raptors ahead early in the second half, but Payne hit two more 3-pointers and a traditional three-point play amid a 15-2 run that put the Knicks ahead by 11 points.
Towns also converted an and-1 and Anunoby delivered a dunk on the spurt.
Payne hit his fourth three-pointer in the first half, then Josh Hart hit a reverse layup to increase the lead to 14 points.
The Knicks led by as many as 21 points — and won the quarter by 16 — to take a 70-52 lead at the break despite Brunson getting just three points on three late free throws.
A long pass from Towns to Anunoby for a dunk and two OG jumpers pushed the Knicks' lead to 31 late in the third period, and they led 111-82 heading into the final quarter.
