New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-109: Return to form

The New York Knicks took down the Philadelphia 76ers, 112-109. They survived a vintage Joel Embiid performance thanks to a great team effort.

The first half was a dogfight between the teams, led by Jalen Brunson and Joel Embiid. Brunson got going from the three-point line, but Embiid outscored the Captain and pushed Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson into foul trouble.

The Knicks entered the second half trailing by four but turned up their defense in the third. New York held Philly to 13 points, taking a double-digit lead into the fourth.

But the Sixers wouldn’t go away, and New York’s poor free-throw shooting turned the final minutes into a back-and-forth battle. Mike Brown deployed a small ball lineup of Brunson, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby down the stretch. That unit managed to hang on and get the win.

When Embiid plays like today, the Sixers are as good as any team in the East. But the Knicks overcame the challenge. Let’s look at the individual performances that made the difference.

The Knicks weathered a 28-point first-half from Joel Embiid because of Jalen Brunson. The Captain kept pace until the Sixers were forced to double and force the ball out of his hands. Brunson capitalized off-ball by getting open for threes and relocating for offensive rebounds.

We haven’t seen as many clutch plays from Brunson this year. But that’s because most teams are doubling him and letting the rest of the Knicks beat them.

Here’s my pick for player of the game. OG Anunoby attacked the paint for impressive dunks throughout the game. He saved his best for the clutch with a fourth-quarter putback and big jumpers.

Anunoby played tough defense throughout the game, culminating in an impressive fourth-quarter stretch. While the Knicks went small, Anunoby guarded Joel Embiid, and his ball-denial forced the Sixers into awkward possessions that meandered into bad shots.

When New York needed stops during crunch time, Mike Brown trusted Landry Shamet over Mikal Bridges. Shamet’s effort through screens drew offensive fouls against Philadelphia, and he challenged shooters consistently.

The shooter started the night slowly from three, but never lost confidence. He got going in the second half, turning in a productive game at both ends.

Joel Embiid went from 28 points in the first half to zero in the third quarter. Mitchell Robinson is the reason for that shift. Robinson stopped Embiid repeatedly, and the Knicks gained momentum with each stop.

Mitch grabbed six offensive rebounds, and it seemed like each board led to an open three-pointer. Embiid looked like an MVP in the first half; Mitch outshone him in the second.

Josh Hart’s effort helped spark the team. He flew in for rebounds from out of nowhere, finishing with five offensive boards. When the Sixers forced the ball from Brunson’s hands, Hart was the tertiary playmaker with the biggest impact. He made plays, plain and simple.

Foul trouble and defense ruined Karl-Anthony Towns’ performance. He stayed productive and efficient on offense, attacking to draw free throws and snatching rebounds at a good pace.

But Towns struggled guarding Embiid, and topped it off with the same offensive fouls that have dogged him all season. It cut his night short, and the team defense improved dramatically in his absence.

This win should inspire some confidence. New York’s record-setting victory over Brooklyn was fine, but beating Philadelphia adds some legitimacy to their recent improvements.

The key is in defense. The Knicks didn’t put together a full defensive performance, but their third quarter was impressive. The starters are moving the ball more fluidly as well. Let’s hope they’ve found their groove.

The Kings are next, and that’s a perfect chance to take this win streak to three. I’ll see you next time, Knicks’ fam!