A day after the Toronto Raptors knocked the Knicks out of playoff contention, New York returned the favour yesterday.
Wilson Chandler scored 17 points to lead the Knicks to a 112-103 win over the Raptors, as their six-game winning streak came to an end, and with it any sliver of hope the Raptors had of making the National Basketball Association post-season. Chris Bosh poured in 31 points to go with 14 rebounds to top 30-46 Toronto. Andrea Bargnani finished with 18 points, Anthony Parker had 15, Shawn Marion finished with 13 and Jos? Calder?n added 12.
David Lee and Quentin Richardson had 16 points apiece for the 30-47 Knicks, who snapped a five-game losing skid on the road, and won for the first time in their last 10 visits to Toronto. Jared Jeffries added 14, while Nate Robinson finished with 13.
The Raptors entered the game tied with Denver for the longest winning streak in the league, and holding onto a glimmer of hope their late-season surge could put them in the post-season.
The Raptors played well for all of one quarter yesterday. They struggled defensively, and were ineffective against the Knicks' long-range shooting -- New York shot 13 for 25 from trey range.
The Knicks broke the game open in the second quarter, and then took a 16-point lead into the final 12 minutes.
Toronto pulled within seven several times in the fourth, but the Knicks responded each time. When Marion connected on a jumper with just over three minutes left to cut the deficit to seven, Al Harrington calmly drained a three.
Harrington would score two more baskets in the final minute to seal the victory for the Knicks, and dozens of fans were already departing the Air Canada Centre when the final buzzer sounded.
The Raptors have six games to go on a season gone south, then will begin the process of improving for the 2009-10 season.
The Knicks outshot the Raptors, shooting 51 per cent from the field to Toronto's 44. The Raptors shot just 4 for 13 from beyond the arc.
