Player grades from Mitchell Robinson’s birthday bash of the 76ers

Knicks take down Sixers as Shamet catches fire and OG leads the way

The New York Knicks took care of business Tuesday night, cruising to a 105–91 win over the Sixers despite missing Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. OG Anunoby led the way with a dominant two-way performance, while Mitchell Robinson celebrated his birthday with a double-double at the World’s Most Famous Arena. It wasn’t the cleanest game—19 turnovers made things sloppier than they needed to be—but several Knicks stepped up when it mattered.

OG Anunoby: A+

Anunoby was the standout performer yet again, scoring 27 points with relentless drives and a thunderous fourth-quarter dunk. He bullied on the defensive end too, helping the Knicks maintain control from wire to wire. With Brunson and Towns sidelined, his all-around effort was exactly what the team needed.

Enjoying a career year, this marked his seventh straight game with 20 or more points and his 13th consecutive game with one or more steals. Anunoby has truly taken the opportunity presented by Brunson’s absence to demonstrate the full range of his offensive (and leadership) abilities. Let’s hope he continues to have chances to shine once the captain returns.

Mitchell Robinson: A

On his 27th birthday, Mitch racked up 14 points and 14 rebounds, asserting himself in the paint on both ends. He anchored the defense and created second-chance looks on offense—vital contributions in a game that could’ve gone sideways early.

Truth be told, his defensive presence is so much greater than Karl-Anthony Towns’s, we’d love to see the two of them play together more often . . . and maybe that’s the ace up Thibs’ postseason sleeve.

Landry Shamet: A-

Shamet lit it up off the bench with a season-high 20 points and six triples. His hot hand gave the Knicks a much-needed perimeter threat and helped stretch the floor for the bigs to operate inside.

In short: Shamet’s shooting didn’t just sparkle—it shifted the dynamics of the game in the Knicks’ favor. This is exactly what we hoped for from him in the preseason before an injury sidelined him. Thanks to his recent play, he just might have earned Thibodeau’s trust for a few minutes in the playoff rotation.

Josh Hart: B

Hart’s energy can be contagious, and his end-of-third-quarter buzzer-beater was a momentum boost. He didn’t fill up the scoring column, but his rebounding and transition work made a difference. Maybe he was reserving a little in the tank for tonight’s game in Ohio.

Tyler Kolek: B

Kolek turned in a solid 20-minute shift with seven points and assists, plus four rebounds. He’s played a steady hand on the second unit in Brunson’s absence, though his shooting could be sharper, and he gave the ball away four times thanks to tougher defensive pressure from Philly.

Delon Wright: B-

Wright chipped in during his minutes, especially in the first half, helping match Philly’s scoring pace. Finishing with 12 points, four assists, and three steals, the steady vet continues to be a reliable band-aid at point guard.

Here’s a random thought: with Wright and Kolek proving to be serviceable options to lead the reserves, does that make Miles McBride and/or Cameron Payne expendable in trades this summer? Discuss amongst yourselves.

Mikal Bridges: B-

If judged by first half stats alone, Bridges would have received a much lower grade for almost unforgiveable 1-of-11 shooting from the floor (see the guy below). He redeemed himself with better play post-intermission, when he shot 5-of-5 from the field. Overall, he finished with 14 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds and a team-high +23.

Precious Achiuwa: C+

Nine rebounds, an assists, a steal, a block, and a +8 rating in 27 minutes all look pretty good on the box score. Less pretty? Two points on 1-of-11 from the floor. Too many times this season, Precious has looked like a tourist on the court and an offensive dud. On a one-year deal, this season’s performance doesn’t bode well for his future with the club.

All in all, last night’s game was a good win for the short-handed Knicks. They overcame sloppy ball-handling (19 turnovers) thanks to strong individual performances and solid defense. Now it’s on to Cleveland tonight for the second of a back-to-back and a whack at the Cavs. Go Knicks.