Jalen Brunson delivered an impressive performance, scoring 35 points, while Josh Hart contributed 21, leading the New York Knicks to a 117-101 victory against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. This win marks the Knicks’ advancement to the NBA Cup semifinals for the first time in three attempts.
The Knicks will now face the Orlando Magic in the semifinals, scheduled for Saturday in Las Vegas. The Magic secured their spot by defeating the Miami Heat earlier in the day.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who returned after missing a game due to left calf tightness, made a notable impact with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Other key contributions came from Mikal Bridges with 15 points and OG Anunoby, who tallied 13 against his former team.
This year marks a significant milestone for the Knicks, as they are the only team to have reached the quarterfinals in each of the three years of this event. In their previous two appearances, they lost by a total of 32 points but improved their record to 11-4 in NBA Cup play with this win.
Brunson exhibited a standout performance, recording 26 points in the first half, which is his highest in any half this season. Despite the individual excellence of Brandon Ingram, who scored 31 points, the short-handed Raptors faced their fourth consecutive loss at home, continuing a disappointing streak of 1-6 since a strong 13-1 run in the earlier group stage.
The Raptors struggled significantly in the second quarter, managing just 13 points while allowing the Knicks to extend their lead to 69-52 at halftime. Toronto’s challenges were compounded by the absence of Immanuel Quickley, who was sidelined due to illness, and RJ Barrett, who has missed nine straight games due to a sprained right knee.
Despite their recent struggles, the Knicks’ success represents a turning point, offering a surge of hope for the team and its fans as they head into the semifinals.
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