Julius Randle scored a game-high 31 points and 10 rebounds, RJ Barrett had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Derrick Rose chipped in 19 points off the bench on Saturday to lead the New York Knicks to a win over the Toronto Raptors, their ninth straight victory.
The nine-game win streak by the Knicks is tied for their second-longest over the last 25 years as they improved to seven games above .500 for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
Amid their current run, the team climbed up to fourth in the standings.
Following the contest, head coach Tom Thibodeau praised the second unit for stepping up and helping the team to victory. New York’s bench outscored Toronto’s 43-11 in the contest, with rookie Obi Toppin adding nine points, his best game since April 2.
Toppin went 3-of-4 from 3-point range in nearly nine minutes of work, with two 3-pointers coming in the fourth quarter to put the Knicks up by 16 points with 9:14 left to play.
His 3s sent the Knicks’ bench, and Madison Square Garden, into a frenzy.
TOPPIN HAS THE GARDEN HOPPIN@obitoppin1 with ANOTHER three pic.twitter.com/UmbDQ0MyOh
— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) April 24, 2021
Afterward, Thibodeau complimented Toppin for his recent work in practice.
“Obi has been practicing great,” Thibodeau said. “I thought he played great tonight. Our bench gave us a big lift and he was at the heart of it. I thought they played very well together. He has put a lot of extra time into his shooting. He is coming back at night and is (improving) his shot so I think he is gaining confidence.”
Toppin has had an up and down rookie campaign to this point of the season, but has shown flashes during his limited action on the court. Certainly, stepping in and hitting some key 3-pointers will go a long way in helping him earn more playing time.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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