NEW YORK (AP) DeMar DeRozan scored 35 points and the Toronto Raptors wrapped up at least the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 110-97 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday.
The Raptors pulled away in the fourth quarter to reach 50 victories for the second straight season. They can still finish second if they beat Cleveland in their regular-season finale and Boston loses its final two.
Kyle Lowry had 17 points and 11 assists for the Raptors, who swept the Knicks for the first time since 2009-10.
Rookie Willy Hernangomez tied his career high with 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Knicks, who despite playing without most of their top players trailed only 76-75 after three. But Toronto broke it open behind the 3-point line and won its third straight.
The three victories have come since Lowry returned after right wrist surgery that sidelined him for 18 games.
Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis sat out again for the Knicks, who had already lost Derrick Rose to knee surgery and Joakim Noah to an NBA suspension.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Toronto finished 14-2 against the Atlantic Division for the second straight season. The Raptors are 61-14 against their divisional foes over the last four seasons.
Knicks: Coach Jeff Hornacek seemed to think Porzingis (sore lower back) would play Wednesday in the season finale and wasn’t sure about Anthony (sore left knee). … Courtney Lee, the only player from the Knicks’ expected starting five still playing, scored 14 points.
DEMAR 2K
DeRozan shot 11 for 15 from the field and became the second player in franchise history with a 2,000-point season and now has 2,020. Vince Carter scored 2,107 in 1999-00 and 2,070 in 2000-01.
GOOD GUARDS
Markelle Fultz from the University of Washington, expected to be one of the top picks in the draft, was at the game. So was Stephon Marbury, the New York native who played for the Knicks during a turbulent stretch from 2003-08 and has gone on to a successful career in China.
UP NEXT
Raptors: Visit Cleveland on Wednesday. The Cavaliers have won all three meetings after beating the Raptors in six games in last year’s conference finals.
Knicks: Host Philadelphia on Wednesday in their season finale.
