NEW YORK _ The Knicks tied a franchise record.
Not a good kind.
By losing to the Toronto Raptors, 104-99, Saturday night at the Garden, the Knicks lost their 16th consecutive game, tying the record they set during the 2014-15 season.
Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 22 points, while Serge Ibaka had 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Kevin Knox led the Knicks with 20 points, and Kadeem Allen had a career-high 14 points and six assists.
Mitchell Robinson finished with a career-high 15 points to go along with three blocks for the Knicks.
This season has been all about developing for the Knicks, and that's led to a rough year. They've struggled on both ends of the court for most of the season while losses have continued to pile up.
Knicks coach David Fizdale said he wasn't giving much thought to the Knicks' losing streak.
"I try not to get too caught up in that, what a streak is, what record you're breaking from a negative standpoint," Fizdale said before the game. "It's much more for me about guys in the locker room and constantly getting them better, getting connected, pumping confidence into them."
They challenged the Raptors, who hold the second spot in the Eastern Conference, on Saturday.
The Knicks got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 12-point lead while pushing the pace in transition. DeAndre Jordan had a pair of thunderous dunks during a seven-point first quarter.
The Raptors, who had blowout wins over the Clippers and 76ers in two of their previous three games, fought back but the Knicks hung around and went into the break down by four points.
Toronto then went up 12 points in the third quarter, but this time the Knicks fought back with Allen and Knox coming through with some key 3-pointers.
After the Raptors had attempted to pull away again, Allen drained a 3 early in the fourth quarter that tied the game at 78.
A layup from Robinson on a feed from Noah Vonleh, who was supplanted by Mario Hezonja in the starting lineup after struggling badly through his previous seven games, tied the game at 85. Robinson was fouled on the basket and hit the free throw to put the Knicks ahead.
Toronto took a four-point lead with four minutes remaining on a three-pointer from Danny Green. After Allen missed a pair of free throws, Allen drained another 3 to push the Raptors' lead to seven points.
A 3-pointer from Knox cut the Knicks' deficit to three points with just less than two minutes remaining.
After Smith heaved up a 3 as the shot clock expired, Ibaka went to the free-throw line and made both shots to put the Raptors up, 101-96.
Smith then fouled Lowry with 23.8 seconds remaining before Hezonja drained a three to make it a three-point game. But Lowry went back to the line in the final seconds and made both foul shots to seal the win.
