Raptors 95, Knicks 83
DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 25 points as visiting Toronto extended its lead atop the Atlantic Division.
Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and a career-best 18 rebounds for the Raptors, who overcame 16 turnovers to move a game ahead of idle Boston atop the division standings. Kyle Lowry chipped in 15 points and 11 assists while John Salmons and Terrence Ross had 11 points apiece.
Andrea Bargnani tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds in his first game against his former team, but it wasn't enough as the Knicks fell to 4-12 at home. J.R. Smith had 17 points and Beno Udrih added 15 points and 10 assists for New York, which was without leading scorer Carmelo Anthony (ankle) for a second straight game.
Bargnani victimized Toronto in the early going, racking up 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks as New York cruised to a 25-18 lead after one quarter. The Knicks went ahead by 10 on a Tim Hardaway Jr. 3-pointer from the right wing, then fended off a Toronto rally midway through the frame with an 8-0 run fueled by a Smith 3-pointer and a Bargnani three-point play as New York rode a 49-40 advantage into the break.
The lead reached double digits before Toronto responded, getting a pair of Ross 3-pointers and a Lowry 3 with 1:20 remaining to go into the fourth trailing 71-66. A Salmons 3-pointer from the left corner vaulted the Raptors back into the lead with 8:07 left and he added another long-range basket 1:11 later before Valanciunas added an exclamation point with a thunderous dunk to kick off a three-point play.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Bargnani's double-double was his first since Jan. 11, 2012. ... Toronto limited the Knicks to four fast-break points and outscored them 29-12 over the final 12 minutes. ... Lowry is averaging 9.7 assists over his last three games.