TORONTO — The streaking Knicks are taking their luck to Sin City.
Behind an efficient masterclass from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks pummeled the Raptors in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup quarterfinal, 117-101, advancing to Saturday’s semifinal in Las Vegas against the Magic.
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Brunson, who thrives in the single-elimination environment (check out his two NCAA titles with Villanova), scored 35 points on 13-for-19 shooting, dissecting Toronto’s porous defense while getting off smooth and swishing jumpers.
Jalen Brunson, who scored a game-high 35 points, shoots a jumper during the Knicks’ 117-101 road win over the Raptors in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Dec. 9, 2025. Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
“Ball was going through the hoop,” Brunson said.
He was 6-for-9 from deep and the Knicks (17-7), winners of four straight and eight of their past nine, cruised to the final buzzer, never allowing the lead to reach single digits in the second half. Brunson was joined in offensive efficiency by his Villanova buddy, Josh Hart, who dropped 21 points on 8-for-11 from the field.
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Karl-Anthony Towns, returning from a one-game absence because of calf tightness, added 14 points with 16 boards.
After falling in the NBA Cup quarterfinals the past two years — including last season’s infamous Trae Young dice roll on the MSG midcourt logo — the Knicks are in the Vegas Final 4.
But it didn’t start so pretty Tuesday for NYK.
Karl-Anthony Towns slams home a dunk during the Knicks’ win over the Raptors in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. NBAE via Getty Images
The first quarter was a slopfest for the Knicks, who committed seven turnovers that led to 12 Raptors points. Toronto led after that opening quarter, 39-35, despite Brunson going off for 20 points in the first nine minutes.
The Knicks picked up the defensive intensity in the second quarter, dominating those 12 minutes to take a 17-point lead into the break.
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“Jalen did what he was supposed to do. He bailed us out offensively in that first quarter,” coach Mike Brown said. “And so we were able to score with them and keep it close because Jalen had a big first quarter. Which obviously he’s more than capable of doing. That’s just who he is when you’re talking about an MVP candidate of the league. And then after that first quarter, everybody on our team just started to get aggressive.”
The Raptors (15-11) are fragile, understaffed, and they folded.
They were at home but the clear underdogs, having lost five of their previous six games — including a lopsided defeat at MSG last week. Toronto was also missing RJ Barrett, who has a knee injury, and Immanuel Quickley, who was a late scratch with an illness.
The Knicks, who didn’t have Miles McBride because of what a source described as a high ankle sprain, have been vocal about their desire to win the NBA Cup despite its scheduling conundrums.
Josh Hart looks to make a pass during the Knicks’ NBA Cup quarterfinal win over the Raptors. NBAE via Getty Images
Since the Knicks won, they’ll fly across the country to Las Vegas for a road trip that could last a week and end in Indianapolis.
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If they had lost, they would’ve gone home for about a week with just one home game.
So now they’ll hit the road instead of enjoying a mini winter break.
And as a reward for their schlepping, the Knicks earned more prize money with semifinalists collecting more than $100K per player compared to more than $50K for quarterfinalists (a championship would net them more than $500K apiece).
“Life is short. My outlook, you want excitement in your life. So you try to put yourself in positions where you have pressure at times,” Brown said about prioritizing the NBA Cup. “That’s something that if you’re a competitor, you want some excitement in your life, you embrace it.
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“One of our standards is having a competitive spirit. All of our guys, especially as you go along or advance you should embrace any type of pressure that comes along with it, because at the end of the day that’s what you do when you’re a competitor.”
And there’s also the chance to raise a championship banner — albeit a banner that would be quickly forgotten, perhaps cursed by fans, if the Knicks don’t follow up with a run to the NBA Finals.
“Any time you can hang a banner you go get it, you try to go get it,” Brown said. “We have our standards. We have our principles, we have our values, but at the end of the day — that includes fun, enjoying all of that stuff — at the end of the day it’s about winning. That’s what we all signed up to do.”