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The New York Knicks closed the preseason with a 122-120 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Karl-Anthony Towns finished one assist short of a triple-double, producing 13 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists in 28:51. Jalen Brunson scored a team-high 20 points and added seven assists.
New York finished the preseason 1-4, while Toronto moved to 2-2. The result does not carry into the regular-season standings, but the way the Knicks created offense offered a useful final rehearsal: 35 assists, balanced scoring and a late bench contribution were enough to overcome 19 turnovers and an uneven defensive night.
Knicks-Raptors at a glance
| Final | Knicks 122, Raptors 120 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Madison Square Garden |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 13 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists |
| Jalen Brunson | 20 points, 7 assists |
| Team passing | 35 assists on 43 made field goals |
| Preseason records | New York 1-4; Toronto 2-2 |
Towns’ passing changed the shape of the offense
Towns did not need a high-volume scoring night to become the game’s central connector. He made four of eight shots, including two of five from three, while pulling down 12 defensive rebounds and creating nine assists. That combination allowed New York to run actions through him without freezing Brunson or the wings out of the possession.
The important number is 35 team assists. New York assisted on more than four out of every five made baskets, a strong indicator of ball movement for a preseason game with changing lineups. Towns’ ability to rebound, advance the ball and find cutters helps the Knicks get into offense before a defense can load up against Brunson.
Brunson and the starters established the baseline
Brunson scored 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting and went 5-of-6 at the free-throw line. Mikal Bridges added 14 points on six made field goals, and OG Anunoby contributed six points, five rebounds and three steals in nearly 31 minutes.
The starters were not uniformly efficient. Anunoby and Mohamed Diawara combined to shoot 4-of-20, and the main lineup posted negative plus-minus figures. That is why the win should be read as a productive tune-up rather than proof that every rotation question is solved.
The bench gave New York the margin
Several reserves finished on the positive side of the scoreboard. Landry Shamet scored 13 points and made six free throws. Deuce McBride hit three of six three-pointers. Jose Alvarado went 3-of-3 from deep, and Andre Drummond scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting while adding eight rebounds and four assists.
Tyler Kolek’s late three-pointer was the cleanest closing highlight. His shot helped preserve a narrow lead in a game that demanded offense to the final possessions. For a coaching staff finishing its rotation evaluation, those bench minutes supplied more useful information than the final two-point margin alone.
What New York did well
- Moved the ball: 35 assists against 19 turnovers is not perfect, but it shows the offense consistently created shots through passing.
- Controlled the defensive glass: Towns’ 12 defensive rebounds helped New York finish possessions.
- Found multiple scoring sources: Six Knicks reached double figures, reducing the need for one player to carry the entire fourth quarter.
- Reached the foul line: New York attempted 27 free throws and made 21.
What still needs work before the opener
The Knicks committed 19 turnovers and allowed Toronto to shoot 50.6 percent. The Raptors also finished with 27 assists and reached 120 points despite making only nine three-pointers. Those numbers point to breakdowns inside the arc and transition chances created by New York mistakes.
Preseason results require restraint. Lineups change, minutes are capped and coaches test combinations they may not use in a close regular-season game. The meaningful takeaway is not that the Knicks “fixed” a 1-4 exhibition record. It is that their core offensive structure produced 122 points and 35 assists, while the defense and ball security supplied a clear practice agenda.
What comes next
New York opens the regular season at home against Philadelphia on October 20. The four-day gap gives the Knicks time to tighten their rotation, reduce live-ball turnovers and decide which bench combinations best support Brunson and Towns.
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