New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors

Towns has 27 points and 20 rebounds as Knicks win eighth straight over Raptors, 121-115

Mikal Bridges and Precious Achiuwa each scored 17 points as the Knicks won their eighth straight meeting with the Raptors. Josh Hart added 15 points as all five Knicks starters reached double digits.

Towns had nearly half of New York’s 43 total rebounds. The veteran big man has had two 22-rebound games this season. He had a career-high 27 rebounds against New Orleans on Jan. 12, 2019.

Scottie Barnes scored 23 points and Jamal Shead had a career-high 16 for the short-handed Raptors. Toronto played without leading scorer RJ Barrett (concussion protocol) and lost center Jakob Poeltl (right hip) at halftime.

Poeltl had five points and two rebounds in 15 minutes but did not return for the second half.

Takeaways Knicks: OG Anunoby didn’t play against his former team. Anunoby sat for the second straight game because of a sprained right foot.

Raptors: Barrett stayed in the game after a heavy fall in the second half of Sunday’s home win over the Clippers. He practiced Monday before starting to experience symptoms on Monday evening.

Key moment Toronto trailed by 23 points before cutting the deficit to one, 112-111, with 3:17 left in the fourth, but Brunson’s pull-up 3 with 26 seconds remaining sealed it for the Knicks.

Key stat Towns had 20 points and 15 rebounds in the first half. The entire Raptors team combined for 12 rebounds in the first two quarters.

Regular Season Series

NY wins series 4-0