The New York Knicks secured a narrow 122-120 victory against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden, as reported by news.de. The preseason finale featured both teams deploying their regular starters in the closing stretch to settle a high-scoring contest in New York.
Madison Square Garden Preseason Finale Matchup
Friday’s contest at Madison Square Garden served as a rematch for New York following a previous preseason loss against Toronto’s reserves, according to reporting from sports.yahoo.com. The visitors utilized a starting lineup featuring Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Kawhi Leonard, and Jakob Poeltl. The Knicks countered with their primary group, though Mohamed Diawara stepped into the starting rotation in place of Josh Hart.
Karl-Anthony Towns opened the game with efficient scoring and distribution alongside Jalen Brunson. Sports.yahoo.com noted that Towns recorded five points, five rebounds, and six assists on perfect shooting before taking a rest near the three-minute mark of the opening quarter. For Toronto, Barnes contributed an early nine points by converting his first four field goal attempts.
Scoring Momentum and First-Half Statistics
Both offenses outpaced defensive efforts early on, with each side shooting above 60% midway through the first quarter. Miles McBride added an offensive spark for New York by hitting three quick three-pointers in his first four minutes off the bench. Andre Drummond also provided stability in the paint, collecting seven rebounds in seven minutes of play.
Toronto erased a 10-point deficit by utilizing defensive pressure, with Jamal Shead and Jamison Battle hitting perimeter shots. At halftime, New York held a 63-58 lead after shooting 55 percent overall and 47 percent from beyond the arc. The hosts maintained a 32-18 advantage in paint scoring and led 26-16 in rebounding through two quarters, though 12 first-half turnovers limited their margin.
Fourth-Quarter Adjustments and Game Conclusion
Toronto capitalized on third-quarter turnovers to briefly claim a 69-66 advantage behind baskets from Leonard, Quickley, Barrett, and Collin Murray-Boyles. To counter the deficit, head coach Mike Brown reinserted his starters in the fourth quarter to secure the two-point win.
The victory sets up the Knicks for their upcoming regular-season schedule. New York next hosts the Philadelphia 76ers on October 20, 2026, with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 AM.
Worth a look
