Siakam's 23 points help Raptors beat Knicks

Pascal Siakam scored 14 of his career-best 23 points in the third quarter and the Toronto Raptors remained undefeated at home with a 128-112 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday afternoon.

The Raptors have won six in a row and are off to a franchise best 12-1 start to the season that includes a 7-0 home record.

The Knicks lost for the third time in four games despite 27 points from Tim Hardaway Jr. Enes Kanter added 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Jonas Valanciunas added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who shot 53 percent from the field. OG Anunoby had 16 points.

Serge Ibaka had 12 points and eight rebounds for Toronto while Kawhi Leonard had 12 points with seven rebounds and Delon Wright also had 12 points. Kyle Lowry chipped in with 10 points and seven assists.

Mario Hezonja scored 13 points, Kevin Knox and Emmanuel Mudiay had 12 each and Damyean Dotson had 11.

After the Knicks cut the lead to one early in the third quarter, the Raptors pulled away and took an 18-point advantage into the fourth that opened with a Valanciunas jumper that bumped the lead to 20.

The Raptors remained in control through the fourth quarter.

The Raptors, who won all four games on a Western swing, opened sluggishly on their return home Saturday. They tied the game at 25 at the end of the first quarter on Wright's put-back layup after nabbing the rebound on a 3-point attempt by CJ Miles.

After a steal by Miles, Anunoby banked in a 3-foot jumper. Then, Wright's layup capped an 8-0 run and Toronto led 43-36 with 6:09 to play in the second quarter.

The Raptors worked the lead to 11 when Leonard made one of two free throws with 2:43 left in the half. Hardaway's 3-pointer with 31 seconds remaining trimmed the lead to six and gave him 19 points on the game, 13 in the second quarter.

The Raptors led 64-53 at halftime. Anunoby led Toronto with 11 points at the half and Wright added 10.

New York opened the third quarter with a 12-4 run, trimming the lead to three points on Frank Ntilikina's 3-pointer.

Dotson's driving layup cut the lead to one with 8:51 left.

But the Raptors surged to a 16-point lead on Siakam's 3-pointer with 3:22 left in the third quarter. Toronto led 100-82 after three quarters. — Reuters