Towns was back in the lineup after missing the Knicks' loss to Detroit on Saturday with a sore right knee -- a defeat that ended New York's four-game winning streak.

New York needed his contribution in a bruising game that featured 19 lead changes.

Toronto's RJ Barrett -- a former Knick -- tied it at 108-108 with a finger roll layup with 42.1 seconds remaining.

But Towns, fed by Jalen Brunson, made a driving layup then, after former Raptor OG Anunoby came up with a big block for the Knicks, drilled a three-pointer with 6.3 seconds remaining that sealed the win.

The clash in Toronto was the only game on Monday's slate as the league geared up for the knockout stage of the NBA Cup this week.

The quarter-finals tip off on Tuesday when the Milwaukee Bucks host the Orlando Magic and the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Dallas Mavericks.

On Wednesday, the Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks and the Houston Rockets host the Golden State Warriors.

The winners will play the semi-finals on Saturday in Las Vegas where the final will be held on December 17.

Mikal Bridges added 23 points and Brunson had 20 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who have won 10 of their last 13 games.

Anunoby scored 14 points in his first game in Toronto since landing with the Knicks.

Barrett led the Raptors with 30 points. Rookie Ja'Kobe Walter scored a career high 19 and Scottie Barnes scored 15 for the Raptors before departing in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle after colliding with Towns under the basket.

It's another blow for Barnes, the 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year who missed 11 games this season with a right orbital fracture.