The New York Knicks punched their ticket to the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals with a 117-101 win over the Toronto Raptors, controlling the game with efficient scoring and balanced play. New York set the tone early, matched Toronto’s physicality, and pulled away behind strong performances from its core players.
JALEN BRUNSON WAS COOKIN’ IN TORONTO!
35 PTS
6-9 3PM
13-19 FGM
The Knicks will play the Magic in the @emirates NBA Cup Semifinals on Saturday 👀 pic.twitter.com/wjmEXwzZiw
— NBA (@NBA) December 10, 2025
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 35 points, three rebounds, four assists, zero steals, and one block on 68.4 percent shooting and 66.7 percent from three. Josh Hart added 21 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and zero blocks while shooting 72.7 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from deep. Karl-Anthony Towns delivered 14 points, 16 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks on 36.4 percent shooting and 50.0 percent from three.
“Man when this Knicks team is clicking they are so much fun to watch,” wrote a fan on X.
For the Raptors, Brandon Ingram was the standout with 31 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and zero blocks on 61.1 percent shooting and 60.0 percent from three. Jamal Shead followed with 18 points, three rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and zero blocks on 40.0 percent shooting and 36.4 percent from deep. Finally, Scottie Barnes contributed 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and zero blocks on 33.3 percent shooting and 16.7 percent from three. It was arguably his worst game of the season as the Raptors took their fourth straight loss (15-11).
“We don’t even try to win games anymore,” one Raptors fan wrote. “We just try to not make it look bad. Raptors are falling off a cliff and it’s sad to see.”
With the win, the Knicks advance to face the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup Semifinals, setting up a high-stakes matchup between two rising contenders. New York enters the next round riding impressive momentum, having won eight of its last nine games with a dominant point differential that continues to grow.
“It’s an opportunity to win something,” said Brunson on the NBA Cup. “I’m happy with the way we played, and the way we fought. We knew their energy was gonna be different today, and we just found a way to slow them down.”
Even amid trade talks involving Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson has kept his focus on the court, where he is delivering his best season yet at 28.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.0 blocks per game on 46.1 percent shooting (35.9 percent from three).
“Brunson had everything on a string tonight. Elite shot-making, pace control, and those pull-ups were pure cruelty,” one fan wrote. “If he keeps this rhythm, the Magic-Knicks semifinal is going to be a show.”
To take the Knicks to the NBA Cup finale, he’ll have to continue this pace for the rest of the week and play up to his usual standards. That shouldn’t be a problem for the All-NBA guard, who has led his team to the second-best record in the East (17-7).
With the Boston Celtics lurking, this was a crucial win for the Knicks that has solidified their place as Finals contenders. Tonight was a well-balanced and collaborative team effort that showcased what this group can be at its best.
Still, the job is far from over. After today’s win, the Knicks will have to beat the Magic and then at least one more team before they can claim victory. Of course, that’s not to mention their ambitions for the real postseason, where they aim to compete for a championship.
As the field narrows and the spotlight intensifies, the Knicks now find themselves with a real chance to make something meaningful out of this tournament run. They have the rhythm, the confidence, and the continuity needed at this stage, and the next challenge will reveal whether they can keep elevating when the stakes rise again.
