Jalen Brunson delivered 35 points as the New York Knicks beat the Toronto Raptors 117-101 on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena to reach the NBA Cup semifinals for the first time.
New York moved to 17-7 and improved to 11-4 all-time in Cup play, breaking through after falling in the quarterfinal round in each of the previous two tournaments.
Brunson set the tone early by scoring 26 in the opening half, his highest-scoring half of the season, helping the visitors take a 69-52 lead at the break.
Josh Hart added 21 on 8-for-11 shooting, including four made threes, continuing his efficient stretch as a perimeter threat.
Karl-Anthony Towns returned after missing Sunday’s win over Orlando because of left calf tightness and posted 14 points and 16 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Mikal Bridges added 15 and OG Anunoby scored 13 in his second game back in Toronto since last season’s trade.
Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 31 points, scoring 17 in the first quarter before Toronto’s offense collapsed in the second.
The Raptors went 5-for-21 in that period and were outscored 34-13, a stretch that shifted the game permanently toward New York.
Jamal Shead supplied 18, the most he has scored as a pro, while Scottie Barnes and Ja’Kobe Walter each had 13.
Jakob Poeltl finished with 10 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes.
Toronto, now 15-11, has dropped four straight at home after starting 13-1 in a run that included four group-stage Cup wins.
Ingram’s early scoring kept the Raptors in front 39-35 after one, but the hosts couldn’t sustain offense with two key rotation players out.
Immanuel Quickley missed the game because of illness and RJ Barrett was unavailable for a ninth straight contest due to a sprained right knee.
New York kept control throughout the second half, maintaining a double-digit margin behind efficient shooting from Brunson and steady interior play from Towns.
The Raptors shot 43 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc, while the Knicks hit 53 percent overall and 16 threes.
New York will face Orlando on Saturday in Las Vegas after the Magic advanced earlier in the day by defeating Miami.
Toronto travels to Miami on Monday seeking to halt its four-game slide.
