Knicks Look to Advance Past the Raptors in the NBA Cup Quarterfinal
On Friday night, the New York Knicks had probably their best offensive attack against the Utah Jazz, scoring 146 points and scoring 40+ in two quarters. Their next game on Sunday afternoon, New York defeated the Orlando Magic 106-100. The Knicks lost their first two matchups against the Magic, yet they got the job done. Now, this Knicks team is on another quick three-game winning streak and heads into Tuesday's matchup against the Toronto Raptors with some stakes on the line. First, this matchup between the two is an NBA Cup Quarterfinal game; a win here would mean heading into the NBA Cup Semifinals against the Magic or the Miami Heat. Secondly, in their second meeting of the 25-26 season, the Knicks can show their dominance once again and show the Raptors they’re the team to beat, even if Toronto began the season off on a hot start. New York won the first matchup at MSG on November 30th, decimating Toronto 116-94. Can the Knicks have a repeat of what they did eight days ago?
Karl-Anthony Towns coming back to the Knicks lineup will be a huge catalyst for this team to get a win on Tuesday night. He missed Sunday’s game due to tightness in his left calf. While it’s been reported that Towns has gone through practice on Monday, December 8th, there’s still the possibility he’s out just so he doesn’t injure himself more severely. If he’s 100%, the five-time all-star’s offensive prowess, as well as his rebounding, will be key for a Knicks win. Towns ranks second in rebounds this season with 11.9, barely behind Nikola Jokić, who has 12.3. While the Knicks won the rebounding battle against the Magic Sunday afternoon 52-48, the Knicks certainly missed their top center’s rebounding capabilities.
Another key for the Knicks if they want to win this NBA Cup Quarterfinal is to stop the dynamic duo of Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Stopping these two all-star forwards will drastically improve New York’s chances of walking out with a dub. In the Raptors’ last game, a 121-113 loss to the Boston Celtics, the two all-stars combined for 48 points, and they could certainly combine for more points on any given night. Containing these two will be massive; having OG Anunoby defending either of the two, or both throughout the game, will be a huge help to the Knicks’ hopes of continuing to the NBA Cup Finals.
Finally, the Knicks’ offense cannot stagger. Under Mike Brown, the team’s offense has been on a tear as of late, yet the momentum cannot slow down. New York’s defense must contain the Raptors as well. New York's defense must dominate against the Raptors. We've witnessed too many instances where the Knicks build a 20-point lead, only for their defense to falter and allow the opposing team to claw back, turning the game into a back-and-forth battle. They must maintain a relentless focus and intensity on defense to assert their control throughout the game. Hopefully, that’s a lock, and the Knicks can continue their win streak plus move on to the NBA Cup Semifinals.
