NBA Cup: Toronto Raptors vs New York Knicks 10/12/2025

Betting on First-Half Points

The Knicks have been opening games at a high pace for weeks now. Brunson immediately takes control, quickly finds his offensive rhythm, while Towns stretches the floor and creates early mismatches that push New York forward from the very first possessions. Once the ball starts moving, their offense becomes extremely difficult to stop, and they often impose their tempo by the middle of the first quarter, forcing opponents to play faster than planned.

The Raptors usually respond with the same energy at home, especially in this NBA Cup quarterfinal where there’s no room for hesitation. As soon as Barnes grabs a rebound, he pushes in transition, the perimeter jumps into early shots, and their cleanest offensive actions come before the opposing defense gets set. When Toronto shifts into its “run-first” rhythm, the number of possessions quickly rises, the game opens up, and the entire matchup gains a completely different dynamic.

Combined with the Knicks, who play their most aggressive basketball precisely in the first half, this creates a matchup in which both teams easily find their offensive flow and raise the pace above average. The result is a first half filled with plenty of running, early shots, and strong offensive momentum on both sides and at least 115+ pts in the 1st half end.