Barnes and Brunson sparks
Scottie Barnes posted a career‑high 15 assists and scored 23 points on 9‑of‑14 shooting in Toronto’s win — a true playmaker night. (x.com) Jalen Brunson answered with 25 points, pouring it on in the fourth quarter to keep New York in the mix during a tense finish. (x.com)
Toronto opened a 27-2 close to the first quarter and rode a 31-point run to a 139-87 rout of Orlando on March 29, finishing with 37 points off 28 Magic turnovers. (abcnews.com) Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 19 and Jamal Shead posted a 12-point, 10-assist double-double as the Raptors improved to 42-32; Brandon Ingram missed the game with a sore right heel. (abcnews.com) In New York, the Knicks beat New Orleans 121-116 on March 24 as Jalen Brunson poured in 15 fourth-quarter points to turn a tense finish into a win. (espn.com) Brunson finished 11-of-19 from the floor and 8-of-9 at the line in that game, and the victory pushed the Knicks to 48-25 and a seven-game winning streak. (espn.com) Barnes’s recent playmaking streak included at least four consecutive games with 10-or-more assists entering the Orlando matchup, while Brunson’s late‑game scoring has been a consistent closer for New York this month. (abcnews.com) Toronto’s next game was scheduled at Detroit and the Magic were set to host Phoenix, while New York’s win tightened the race behind Boston for second in the Eastern Conference. (abcnews.com)
