DeMar DeRozan scores 23 points, Raptors rout Knicks 116-101
TORONTO -- The Toronto Raptors left the New York Knicks behind in a hurry in a big third quarter.
Toronto had a 25-2 edge in the first 9:20 of the third and coasted to a 116-101 victory Sunday.
"I think we just got more physical," said Kyle Lowry, who had 16 points and nine assists before coming out late in the third quarter. "The bigs did a good job of rebounding and we got out and were able to run."
Toronto outscored New York 27-8 in the third quarter to take a 96-62 lead.
DeMar DeRozan had 23 points, five rebounds and five assists to lead the Raptors. He joined most of Toronto's starters in resting in the fourth quarter.
Norman Powell added 21 points, DeMarre Carroll had 20 points, and Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 16 rebounds.
The Raptors improved to 27-13, taking the lead for good late in the first quarter. They led by 38 points in the third in winning their third straight game overall and fifth in a row against the Knicks.
Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 18 points, Justin Holiday had 17, and Derrick Rose added 16. The Knicks are 2-10 in their last 12 to drop to 18-23.
"When you're not scoring, that's when you've got to focus defensively," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said of his team's disastrous third quarter. "We weren't good enough playing the defense and it just ballooned up from there."
Hornacek sat his starters from the latter part of the third quarter.
"They were not thinking defense, they were thinking offence and their offence wasn't going," he said. "I don't know if it's giving up, you can ask them that but the last group came in and played hard and that's what we need."
The Raptors were 12 for 20 from the field in the third quarter, while the Knicks were 4 for 21 overall and 0 for 4 from the 3-point range.
The Knicks also had seven turnovers times in the quarter, leading to 10 Toronto points. The Raptors turned it over four times, but New York was unable score any points off them.
"It happened so quickly, a couple of turnovers, they scored four straight times early in that third quarter and we were just looking backwards from that point," Anthony said.
DeRozan led the way with 11 points in the third, and Carroll had 10.
Toronto took a 69-54 lead into the halftime break.
The Raptors matched their season high in a quarter, scoring 42 in the second. They hit seven 3s in the period, led by Terrence Ross, who went 4 for 5 from beyond the arc.
"I was really proud of the way that the starters came out and set the tone, especially starting the third quarter, which has usually been our Achilles heel," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "We came out, set the tone and built a 30-point-plus lead, so my hat is off to those guys."
TIP-INS
Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis missed his second straight game with a sore left Achilles. Forward Lance Thomas took an elbow to the head from Valanciunas in the second minute of the game and did not return with concussion-like symptoms. He'll be further evaluated Monday. At one point in the third quarter, the Knicks trailed by 38 points, their largest deficit of the season.
Raptors: The Raptors are 8-0 against Atlantic Division teams. .. DeRozan has scored 20 or more points in 12 straight games, matching his longest streak. ... Patrick Patterson missed his second straight game and sixth of the past eight with a sore left knee. DeRozan missed his first five shots from the field but hit eight of his next 11. Toronto dominated the inside game, outscoring the Knicks 66-30 in points in the paint.
EARLY RUST
The teams combined to shoot 5 for 22 from the field in the first 5:26.
HE SAID IT
"It's a little bit embarrassing in the third quarter to be down by 30 or something like that." -- Brandon Jennings on the game getting away from the Knicks.
UP NEXT
Knicks: New York returns home to face the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. It's the third of four meetings this season, with each having won at home.
Raptors: Toronto travels to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Tuesday night. The Raptors beat the Nets 132-113 in Toronto on Friday night.
