VanVleet’s shooting helps Raptors beat struggling Knicks
Fred VanVleet scored 28 points, Gary Trent Jr. had 24 before fouling out and the host Toronto Raptors snapped a threegame losing streak by beating the New York Knicks 125-116 Sunday.
Pascal Siakam scored 24 points, Scottie Barnes had 19 and Precious Achiuwa added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who scored 26 points off 17 New York turnovers.
RJ Barrett scored 30 points and Julius Randle had 23 points and 19 rebounds as the Knicks lost their fourth straight.
“There were stretches where we did good things,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We’re just not doing enough good things to win.”
Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and Obi Toppin had 14, but the short-handed Knicks were without guard Immanuel Quickley (left knee) and center Mitchell Robinson, who missed his second game after surgery to repair a fractured right thumb.
“It’s tough,” Randle said of being without the injured pair. “They bring a lot to our team. They do a lot on both ends of the floor for us.”
New York overcame a 17-point deficit to take the lead late in the third quarter. The game was tied to begin the fourth before the Raptors pulled away with an 11-0 run that saw Toronto score seven points at the free throw line.
“We fouled, we gave up offensive rebounds, and we turned the ball over,” Thibodeau said of the decisive stretch. “That’s usually a recipe to get you beat.”
Toronto had lost its previous two games, at Minnesota and home to Boston, despite holding double-digit leads in each. The Raptors failed to score 20 points in the fourth quarter in both of those defeats. They scored 39 in the fourth quarter Sunday.
VanVleet returned after sitting out Saturday’s loss to Boston because of soreness in his right ribs. Toronto was without O.G. Anunoby, who left Saturday’s game in the second half because of a sore right ankle.
The Raptors started 5-for-5 from 3-point range and shot 7for-11 from distance in the first, while New York went 2-for-9. Toronto led 37-22 after one.
“We just came out with a good focus and intensity,” VanVleet said. “We’ve got to find ways to increase that consistently throughout the game.”
Toppin scored 12 points and shot 4-for-5 from long range as the Knicks closed the gap in the second. The Raptors were up 62-53 at the half.
Brunson’s 3 with 1:26 left in the third capped a 10-1 spurt that put the Knicks up 84-83, giving New York its first lead since Barrett scored the opening two points of the game at the free throw line. The score was tied at 86 heading to the fourth.
Suns 112, Grizzlies 110: Chris Paul had 22 points and 11 assists in his return after missing seven games with a hip injury, leading host Phoenix past Memphis.
The Suns jumped to a 32-18 lead by the end of the first quarter and led by 29 points at one point during the third quarter.
The Grizzlies cut into that advantage and Ziaire Williams hit a 79-foot heave at the third quarter buzzer to slice the Suns’ lead to 87-72.
Lakers 121, Trail Blazers 112: LeBron James had 37 points and 11 rebounds and visiting Los Angeles rallied in the second half to beat Portland.
Thomas Bryant added 31 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who have won three of their last four after a three-game losing streak.
Anfernee Simons had 31 points for the Blazers, who have lost three straight.
Clippers 112, Mavericks 98: Kawhi Leonard scored a gamehigh 30 points, Paul George had 21 and Norman Powell added 19 off the bench to lead visiting Los Angeles past Dallas.
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 22 points and Spencer Dinwiddie had 21.
The Clippers won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 26-27, while the Mavericks have lost four of their last five games and seven of 10.
Heat 100, Pelicans 96: Tyler Herro scored 26 points, Kyle Lowry had nine straight for Miami in the final moments and host Miami rallied to beat New Orleans.
Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler each scored 18 for the Heat, which trailed by 16 in the first half. Lowry scored 17 for the Heat, the last nine of those coming in a span of 1:42 down the stretch.
Thunder 101, Nuggets 99: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander banked in an 8-foot jumper with 9.2 seconds remaining and finished with 34 points as visiting Oklahoma City snapped Denver’s nine-game winning streak.