Knicks 110, 76ers 105: “Brunson willed this win into being.”

Knicks survive second-half push as the Nova Knicks deliver.

Tonight, the New York Knicks (38-20) beat the Philadelphia 76ers (20-38) for the third time this season. It didn’t come easily and required clutch play from the usual suspect.

The Knicks stormed to a 13-2 start, and Mikal Bridges torched Philly for 18 first-quarter points. By halftime, they led 61-45, shooting 59% from the field while Jalen Brunson dished seven assists, Josh Hart grabbed eight boards, Philly’s Tyrese Maxey struggled, and familiar face Quentin Grimes sleepwalked. Philly clawed back in the third, fueled by Paul George’s two-way play and New York’s seven turnovers, and the Knicks entered the fourth up, 83-74. In the final frame, the Sixers fought back to take a four-point lead, but Jalen Brunson poured in 14 points to lock down the win, 110-105.

To quoth Vermont Knicks Fan, please…: “Brunson willed this win into being.” Praise Jah that he did, because the Knicks turned the ball over 16 times tonight, looked mostly flat in the second half, and Paul George and Tyrese Maxey had them on the ropes. Captain Clutch finished the night with 34 points, seven assists, and a steal while shooting 8-of-17 and an almost perfect 15-of-16 from the line.

As for the rest of the starters, Josh Hart netted a team-high +11 by corralling 17 rebounds (14 defensive), and Bridges finished with 28 points, two steals, and a block on 12-of-18 shooting. OG Anunoby added 16 points and nine rebounds, and Ariel Hukporti scored eight points in 16 minutes before suffering a knee sprain. Off the bench, Precious Achiuwa contributed seven points, six rebounds, and four big blocks.

For Philadelphia, Maxey logged 30 points on 12-of-32 shooting; George finished with 25 points, eight boards, and seven assists; and that Sideshow-Bob lookalike Kelly Oubre, Jr. netted 27.

First Half

With Karl-Anthony Towns sidelined by a sore knee, rookie Ariel Hukporti got his first start of the season. The Knicks came out blazing, opening with a 13-2 run as the Sixers bricked six straight shots. Mikal Bridges caught fire, dropping 18 in the first—his highest total in a game since February 3. Jalen Brunson orchestrated with ease, dishing seven dimes in his first 12 minutes. Kelly Oubre, Jr. kept Philly afloat, hitting five of six for 12 points. After one, the Knicks led 33-21.

The Knicks goosed their lead to 19 in the second, with the bench chipping in solid minutes. Precious Achiuwa, Cameron Payne, and Miles McBride each posted four points. Late in the quarter, the Sixers strung together eight unanswered points in just over a minute, aided by two Josh Hart turnovers.

Through the half, New York outshot Philly from the field, 59% to 38%, and from deep, 40% to 24%. They edged the Sixers on the boards (21-19) and in the paint (26-18), too. Easy pickings! By intermission, the Knicks led 61-45. Bridges topped the stat sheet with 19 points, Brunson had 15, and Hart grabbed eight boards. For the enemy, Oubre had 19, while Tyrese Maxey missed 11 of his 15 tries. OAKAAKUYOAK Quentin Grimes, starting for Philly, logged a goose egg on a single shot attempt. That’s the Grimes I remember before he was shipped to Detroit.

Second Half

Philly fought back in the third quarter, cutting their deficit to 10 points. Credit goes to Paul George, who had logged several steals and played well on both ends of the floor, and also to New York, who managed to commit seven turnovers in the period. Somehow, New York held off the resurgence and played well enough to keep the Fighting Cheesesteaks from getting within nine points. By the buzzer, they were ahead, 83-74.

The Sixers opened the fourth with a quick four points, and New York’s easy street win had developed some potholes. Hukporti, who had flashed some nice defense plays, limped off with a sprained left knee—rotten luck for the rookie. That left New York with one center available, Achiuwa, who is a tad shorter than Philly’s Andre Drummond. Then, at 8:30, OG Anunoby tweaked his left ankle on a drive but played through it. This one was turning into a war of attrition.

With four minutes left, the Knicks could not get stops, and their lead evaporated, thanks the more of the same script: Knicks turnovers, George buckets.

Blessed with a little luck (in the form of Maxey’s inability to shoot) and seven straight points from Captain Brunson, the Knicks regained the lead with 1:30 remaining. And with 30-ish seconds to go, Philly’s Drummond grabbed an offensive board under the rim, and Achiuwa mightily swatted away his put-back attempt for what could be considered the game-winning play.

Jalen Brunson swished two more free throws for a five-point lead. Tyrese Maxey raced for a layup, making this a three-point game with 28 seconds to go. But finally, the Knicks executed an in-bound play to perfection, with Bridges feeding OG Anunoby a wide-open flush.

Here’s Jalen with the dagger:

Up Next

Our heroes travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Friday night. Safe travels, Knicks.

Box Score