Overview
- New York beat Toronto 112-95 at Madison Square Garden on Friday to lock the No. 3 seed after Boston’s win kept the Knicks from moving up.
- OG Anunoby exited in the second quarter with a left ankle injury and did not return, with at least a week before Game 1 giving recovery time.
- Jalen Brunson scored 29 points and Karl-Anthony Towns posted 22 points and 10 rebounds to pace the clinching victory.
- The win completed a 4-0 season sweep of Toronto and kept a Knicks–Raptors first-round series in play, though a Hawks loss to the Heat on Sunday could shift the matchup.
- Toronto was thin with Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett out, and it waived guard Tyreke Key before tip to clear room for a two-way conversion ahead of playoff eligibility.