New York stomped a hole in Toronto’s plans Sunday, cruising to a 111-95 win at home. The scoreline tells part of the story; the rest is about balance — starters who delivered and a bench that finished the job — plus a Raptors lineup hampered by the absence of rookie center Collin Murray-Boyles (left thumb sprain).
The short version
– Final: Knicks 111, Raptors 95 (March 3, 2026, New York)
– Why it mattered: Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns logged double-doubles and the Knicks’ reserves outplayed Toronto’s bench, swinging the matchup decisively.
– Big stat gaps: New York dominated the glass (44-28) and shot 56.1% (46-for-82) in stretches that mattered.
How the game turned
Toronto started strong and even led by as many as 10 early on. But late in the first quarter one sequence changed everything: a defensive stop, a rebound, and a string of efficient possessions turned into a 15-4 spurt that carried into the second. From there the Knicks never really looked back. New York’s second quarter — a 36-27 edge — flipped momentum; increased ball movement, smarter shot selection and fewer turnovers fed a steady scoring run. The bench sealed it, maintaining pressure whenever starters rested.
Standout numbers and players
– Jalen Brunson: 26 points, 10 assists — took over as both scorer and playmaker when the Knicks needed it.
– Karl-Anthony Towns: 21 points, 13 rebounds — owned the paint and limited Toronto’s second-chance looks.
– Bench impact: Landry Shamet led the reserves with 12 points;
– For Toronto: Brandon Ingram poured in 31 points, Immanuel Quickley posted a 13-12 double-double, and RJ Barrett added 20 with a nine-point burst in the fourth. Still, the Raptors couldn’t overcome the rebounding and bench deficits.
Why rebounds and depth decided this one
The rebound margin (44-28) is the clearest explanation. New York turned missed shots into extra possessions and open perimeter looks — often created by Towns drawing defensive attention inside. Meanwhile, Toronto’s rotation felt the absence of Murray-Boyles, which left the Raptors lighter on the glass and forced matchup adjustments that didn’t stick. Toronto also saw its turnovers spike during the decisive stretches, feeding Knicks transition chances.
Tactical takeaways
– Knicks: The formula that night — efficient inside/outside scoring, purposeful ball movement and reliable bench minutes — looks repeatable. If the second unit keeps producing, New York has a sustainable edge in close stretches.
– Raptors: The loss exposed a recurring problem: frontcourt depth and rebounding. Coach and front office will likely reconsider minute distributions and look at ways to shore up the glass and stabilize late-game rotations.
What comes next
New York hosts Oklahoma City next; Toronto heads to Minnesota. Expect coaches to pore over film and tweak rotations. Medical updates will determine when Murray-Boyles returns; his availability will be a key factor in how the Raptors try to fix their rebounding hole. Both teams will be watching bench efficiency and matchup data closely as they refine plans for the stretch run. For Toronto, big individual nights weren’t enough — the glass and rotation shortfalls left too much on the other team’s resume.