The New York Knicks dominated the Philadelphia 76ers from start to finish on Friday night, cruising to a stunning 128-92 victory behind a balanced offensive attack. Seven Knicks scored in double figures as they picked apart a lethargic and disinterested Sixers squad that offered little resistance in arguably their worst performance of the season.
Knicks Catch Fire Early, Sixers Have No Answer
The Knicks wasted no time seizing control of the game, jumping out to a quick 19-7 lead behind three early three-pointers from Quentin Grimes. Julius Randle also came out aggressive, scoring 10 first quarter points en route to a game-high 24. Jalen Brunson was slicing up the Sixers defense at will, dolling out 6 assists in the opening frame.
“That was about as dominant a start as you’ll see from any team,” said Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. “We were locked in defensively and played unselfishly on offense.”
The Sixers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, looked lethargic from the opening tip. They turned the ball over 7 times in the first quarter and offered little resistance defensively as the Knicks built a 40-23 lead after one.
“We just didn’t come ready to play,” said Joel Embiid, who led the Sixers with 22 points. “No energy, no effort. It was bad.”
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knicks | 40 | 29 | 31 | 28 | 128 |
| Sixers | 23 | 27 | 20 | 22 | 92 |
Knicks Reserves Pour it On, Route is On
Up 68-50 at halftime, the Knicks put the game away by opening the third quarter on a blistering 21-7 run behind their second unit. Immanuel Quickley scored 12 of his 16 points in the period, including three more triples for New York.
“A lot of teams only go seven, eight guys deep,” said Taj Gibson, who had 10 points off the Knicks bench. “We can go a legit 12 guys deep. It wears teams down.”
Obi Toppin, Miles McBride and Jericho Sims joined Quickley with stellar performances off the pine. That foursome combined for 36 points on 60% shooting from the field.
“It was just one of those nights where everyone was feeling it,” Toppin said. “We fed off each other’s energy and played freely.”
The Sixers offense stalled once again in the third, shooting just 33% from the field. Outside of Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who finished with 18 points, no Sixer scored more than 8 points.
“We just didn’t give the requisite effort a team needs against a quality opponent,” said Sixers head coach Doc Rivers.
Bleak Outlook for Reeling Sixers
At 23-15, the Sixers hold the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference but have losers of three straight and seven of their last ten. The team is at risk of falling further down the standings if they can’t solve some glaring issues.
The lack of perimeter creators and shooters around Embiid and Maxey has been apparent all season long, but was on full display during Friday night’s blowout loss. No Sixer outside of that duo scored more than 8 points, while the team shot just 29.5% from three-point range.
“We’re limited offensively,” Rivers admitted. “We knew that coming into the season but on nights like tonight it’s clearly magnified.”
Making matters worse is the injury to valuable role player Danuel House Jr., who missed Friday’s contest and is expected to be sidelined for two weeks with a shoulder sprain.
The Sixers are running out of time to bolster their roster around their stars. President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey will have just over a month to add reinforcements before the trade deadline on February 9th. Expect Philadelphia to be aggressive in trying to pry away complementary talent.
Surging Knicks Earning Respect Around NBA
While the Sixers season threatens to spiral, the Knicks appear to be coming together at just the right time. Winners of three straight and seven of their last ten, New York has climbed to 25-18, just 2.5 games back of the Sixers for the fifth seed.
The catalyst behind their strong play of late has been the seamless integration of newly-acquired wing O.G. Anunoby. Since his arrival from Toronto, the Knicks have taken their defense to new heights while seeing improved ball movement and shot quality on offense.
“O.G.’s versatility on both ends has unlocked a lot for us,” Brunson said. “He fits our culture and pieces perfectly.”
Anunoby had 16 points on efficient 7-13 shooting from the field in Friday’s rout. The Knicks had 33 assists on 47 made field goals, picking the lethargic Sixers defense apart possession after possession.
“They played the right way and we just didn’t,” Embiid said. “You have to give the Knicks a lot of credit.”
After looking like a play-in tournament team early on, the new-look Knicks are now viewed as a dangerous matchup for anyone. They’ll put their newfound swagger on display Sunday night on national TV against the rising Cleveland Cavaliers.
Key Takeaways
- Knicks delivered their most dominant performance of the season, leading wire-to-wire in 36 point thrashing
- Stellar bench play was a key factor; Knicks reserves outscored their Sixer counterparts 59-16
- Julius Randle (24 points) and Jalen Brunson (30 points) paced a balanced Knicks attack
- Sixers brought no energy and had no answers on either end of the floor
- Depth and lack of secondary scoring/shooting remains major concern for Sixers
- Addition of O.G. Anunoby has Knicks looking like a serious playoff threat in the East
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