The Knicks played one of their best quarters of the season, but the 76ers fought back in the fourth quarter, as New York held on to a 112-109 win in Philadelphia.

Coming off a big win against the Nets, questions regarding the Knicks (coming into the game 3-9 in their last 12 games) still prevailed. And although New York was behind at halftime, a 30-13 third quarter gave the Knicks enough cushion to weather the Philadelphia comeback.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points, while OG Anunoby added 23 points and was clutch down the stretch.

Joel Embiid, coming off his first triple-double this season, had a game-high 38 points to go along with 11 rebounds, five assists and one block.

Here are the takeaways...

-Karl-Anthony Towns was questionable heading into the game with back spasms, but showed his health, knocking down his first shot (a three) to put the Knicks up early. New York's energy was visible, as they were aggressive on both ends of the floor. However, Philadelphia had that same spark with both teams knocking down shots and getting to the free-throw line.

New York took a 21-18 lead at the six-minute mark of the first quarter. The Knicks knocked down three of their first five three-pointers. Both offenses continued to hum through the first frame, but Knicks turnovers and lapses in defense allowed the Sixers to tie the game at 34 apiece after one. Brunson had a team-high 14 points and played the entire first quarter. Embiid (15) and Tyrese Maxey (11) led the Sixers.

-Early in the second, Towns drove to the basket and converted an and-one, but the foul took him to the floor. Towns was visibly hurt, grabbing at his back. The big man completed the old-fashioned three-point play and stayed in the game. But New York had bigger issues. With Brunson off the floor to start, turnovers and fouls pushed the Sixers to a 43-41 lead with nine minutes to go when coach Mike Brown called a timeout after Quentin Grimes leaked out behind the defense after an Anunoby layup for an uncontested dunk.

Josh Hart hit a three out of the timeout, but the Knicks' shooting dipped from there. One sequence saw New York miss three straight three-point attempts on one possession.

Missed shots, missed free throws and turnovers gave Philly a lead for most of the second and almost got out of hand before the return of Brunson, Mitchell Robinson's rebounding and clutch defense from Miles McBride cut the Sixers' lead. But Philly took a 64-60 lead into halftime off the back of Embiid's 28 points.

Brunson (19), Towns (10), and Anunoby (13) led the Knicks, but the team's lack of three-point efficiency hurt them. After going 6-for-11 from downtown in the first, they were 2-for-12 in the second.

-Towns picked up his fourth personal early in the third and had to sit, but with Robinson in, the Knicks began their comeback. A 15-0 run gave the Knicks a nine-point lead, the biggest of the game by either side at the time. New York would take a 90-77 lead into the final frame thanks to rebounding, great ball movement and, more importantly, incredible defense, especially on Embiid, who didn't score in the quarter.

New York outscored Philly 30-13 in the third.

-Towns started the fourth but picked up his fifth foul 25 seconds in and had to take a seat. Ariel Hukporti, who didn't play in the first half, checked in to give Robinson a blow, but didn't factor much as he scored two points in four minutes on the floor.

Philadelphia would go on an 11-0 run to cut the Knicks' lead to six points as shots stopped going down and Mikal Bridges' ice-cold shooting continued -- he finished 3-for-16 from the field and 1-for-9 from three. Towns, who checked in with Brunson with 7:29 left, would foul out as the Sixers continued to chop away at the deficit. Momentum swung back to the Knicks after a Robinson offensive rebound led to a Landry Shamet three. The Sixers would cut the Knicks' lead to three points, but Anunoby skied for a putback-dunk, followed by a three giving the Knicks some breathing room.

Shamet hit a wide-open three (from Anunoby's assist) to put them up by eight points with 41 seconds to play, and looked to be the dagger. However, a quick Maxey three, a Brunson turnover and foul cut the Knicks' lead to three with 33 seconds remaining. On the next possession, an offensive foul against Brunson on the in-bounds play was called, which Brown challenged. The foul was changed to a foul on VJ Edgecombe, and since it was away from the ball, Brunson hit the free throw and gave the Knicks the ball. Anunoby hit one of two free throws and after a quick Maxey layup, Philadelphia got the ball back -- after a successful challenge overturning a foul into possession for the Sixers -- down just three with 10 seconds remaining. After Maxey airballed a deep three out of bounds, Brunson was fouled, but the All-Star guard missed both free throws. Embiid looked to push the ball up the floor in the waning seconds, but the big man lost his handle after thinking he was fouled by Brunson on purpose as the time ticked to zero, and the Knicks escaped with the win.

Game MVP: OG Anunoby

While Brunson was the high-point man for the Knicks, Anunoby came up big on the offensive and defensive end.

Here are the takeaways...

Game MVP: OG Anunoby

Highlights

Popular in the Community