Knicks knock Raps’ shot at late-game comeback

As third quarters go they don’t get much worse.

Up 11 after a half, the Raptors took their foot off the gas and 12 playing minutes later the game was over.

A 41-10 third quarter had the Knicks up 20 and seemingly on their way to an easy win.

But a fourth quarter lineup with Serge Ibaka playing alongside CJ Miles, Norm Powell, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet brought sanity back into the game.

That 20-point lead was down to six with 5:40 gone in the final frame and the Raptors appeared on their way back to restoring normalcy to the NBA world.

But as is too often the case, coming back from a huge deficit takes its toll and while the Raptors got this one back to within reach, finishing the deal never quite got all the way there in a 108-100 loss.

On three different occasions in that fourth quarter the Raptors got the lead down to six points and on three different occasions the Knicks pulled away again.

Tim Hardaway Jr, the man the Knicks signed to an eye-popping four-year $71-million contract had a night worthy of that kind of money with 38 points, six assists and seven rebounds in the win.

When he wasn’t hitting threes, Hardaway was punishing the Raptors’ at the rim and when he wasn’t doing that he was beating them at the free-throw line.

With 10 seconds remaining in the game and the Knicks dribbling the game out, Hardaway stood at centre court imploring the MSG crowd to enjoy the moment.

This one is going to sting a while for the Raptors who were seemingly in control at the half on the strength of solid offensive games from both of its all-stars in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

They had 29 points and seven assists between the two of them at the half but in the second half had just 14 points between them as the scoring dried up for the Raptors.