PHILADELPHIA — The Knicks and 76ers met on Tuesday night time with much-changed rosters however an all-too-familiar objective — establishing a brand new stage of dominance within the Jap Convention, particularly with each groups retooling to problem the Boston Celtics.
Tuesday’s NBA Cup conflict underscored simply how completely different these two groups look from their playoff bout final season, because the Knicks secured a 111-99 win at Wells Fargo Heart in a sport marked by renewed depth and recent, high-stakes matchups. The win places the Knicks 1-0 in Group A standings.
For the 76ers, an offseason makeover introduced in All-Star ahead Paul George, sharpshooter Eric Gordon, promising rookie Jared McCain, and former Miami Warmth ahead Caleb Martin. In addition they fortified their bench with France’s Guerschon Yabusele and re-signed Andre Drummond, all with the thought of giving MVP Joel Embiid a stronger supporting solid.
The Knicks had been simply as daring. They traded 5 first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, shipped Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Cities, and re-signed OG Anunoby and Treasured Achiuwa. With veteran guard Cameron Payne becoming a member of, New York constructed a roster round Jalen Brunson designed to unfold the ground and function at excessive effectivity.
In consequence, Tuesday’s sport was a preview of the new-look groups and a testomony to their upgraded firepower.
“I think obviously both teams have changed quite a bit since that playoffs, and they’ve added two guys who can really play,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse mentioned earlier than the sport. “Those guys [Towns and Bridges] are both really good players, both got a really good perimeter game that we’ve gotta be mindful of. I guess we’re gonna have to wait and see.”
“Obviously, they added Paul George, but they’ve added a lot of good players, and Embiid gives them a different type of threat: inside, outside, off-the-dribble, the size,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned, including, “Paul George is a long wing that can break you down off the dribble, a great catch-and-shoot player. [Kelly] Oubre is a terrific talent, and [Kyle] Lowry is a wily veteran and just does a lot of things that help the team stay organized. So they have a lot of good weapons.”
For the Knicks, stability was key on Tuesday night time. Final season, they leaned closely on Brunson’s scoring to navigate tough patches, however the brand new roster permits him to be a playmaker whereas the group unfold the scoring load. Brunson went scoreless within the first quarter and had simply eight factors coming into the ultimate interval, ultimately ending with 18 factors on 5-of-15 capturing. The night time belonged to a balanced offense, with six Knicks scoring in double figures, together with Miles McBride, who posted 15 factors off the bench and continued his early Sixth Man of the Yr marketing campaign.
“They were going through Brunson pretty much exclusively at that point [in the second half of] last year,” Nurse mentioned of the Knicks’ evolution. “You’re certainly gonna get your dose of Brunson for sure, but obviously you’re gonna get KAT some shots. They’re doing a pretty good job of spreading it around. They get all those guys involved — even OG, who was with them last year, gets his moments. Much more balance.”
Anunoby led the way in which for the Knicks with 24 factors on 11-of-16 capturing, profiting from lanes to the rim for straightforward buckets. Cities was additionally a pressure, contributing 21 factors, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. In the meantime, Josh Hart notched a triple-double with 14 factors, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, showcasing the Knicks’ collective method to playmaking.
Embiid’s season debut was much less about fireworks and extra about shaking off the rust. After lacking video games attributable to a knee damage and a three-game suspension, the reigning MVP solely performed 26 minutes, ending with 13 factors on 2-of-11 capturing and relying totally on free throws to do his scoring. Nurse had deliberate to maintain Embiid’s minutes restricted, noting earlier than the sport that the massive man would play “20-25 minutes,” given his restoration.
George, in the meantime, did his half, scoring 29 factors and grabbing 10 rebounds on 10-of-19 capturing. However as the sport wore on, the Knicks’ protection tightened, and George was held to simply six factors within the fourth quarter. McCain contributed a notable 23 factors off the bench, serving to Philadelphia keep aggressive. However the Knicks managed the sport, main for practically all the contest save for a number of temporary Sixers runs originally of the sport and early within the third quarter.
Tuesday’s sport mirrored the Knicks’ capability to adapt and share the load on offense, with a number of scoring threats in Cities, Bridges, and Anunoby giving them flexibility Brunson couldn’t present alone final season.
The brand new method allowed Brunson to be each scorer and facilitator, one thing that caught Nurse’s consideration.
“They’re trying to be a little more perimeter oriented,” Nurse noticed. “And they’re doing a pretty good job of spreading it around.”
The Knicks hope to proceed their momentum, having received a key division sport in a difficult week. They’ll face the Chicago Bulls within the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday at Madison Sq. Backyard, giving them an opportunity to additional solidify their standing within the East’s crowded playoff race.
Initially Revealed: November 12, 2024 at 10:20 PM EST
