Knicks 128-92 76ers (6 Jan, 2024) Game Recap،
PHILADELPHIA — — Jalen Brunson playfully tried to escape a media scrum outside his locker by announcing that Josh Hart was ready to talk to reporters.
Hart surely wanted to speak for himself after scoring 10 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and finishing a whopping plus-46 for the New York Knicks.
Impressive, right? Not to Brunson,
“I don’t care,” he deadpans.
Brunson smiled as he glanced at Hart in a nearby booth, the two former Villanova teammates having plenty of reason to joke after a laugh in Philadelphia.
Brunson made four 3-pointers and scored 29 points to lead the Knicks to a 128-92 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
Brunson even played reporter, asking Hart what he thought about posting the “highest plus/minus in NBA history?”
“Well, they staggered my minutes with you. So it was easy,” Hart said.
The entire game was for the Knicks. They made 18 3s and made 24 of 25 free throws.
Quentin Grimes added 19 points and Isaiah Hartenstein had 17 to help New York earn its third straight win since acquiring OG Anunoby in a trade with Toronto. Donte DiVincenzo also made four 3s and scored 14 points.
“It’s been great how we’ve been able to integrate so quickly,” Brunson said. “We just have to continue to improve.”
Joel Embiid twisted his left knee early — “Everything will be fine,” he said — and had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Sixers. Embiid extended his franchise records to 16 consecutive 30-point games and 15 consecutive 30-point, 10-rebound games.
Still, the Knicks turned this one into an adventure early and their visiting fans only got louder as the game wore on, chanting “Go New York, Go New York, Go” in the final moments of rout. The Knicks were thrilled with another win with Anunoby, who scored 11 points, alongside them.
Hart and Brunson sat on the scorer's table during a second-half timeout and chatted, their bond as close in New York as it was on the Main Line.
“We’re a pretty good post-trade team,” Hart said. “Maybe we can make some more trades. No one here. Maybe some picks for 2040, or something like that. Keep going until the trade deadline until we can I don't more.
Miles McBride, who had 15 points, hit two 3s in the final 90 seconds of the first quarter to take a 34-30 lead. Brunson took control from there, playing like the star he blossomed into in the NBA.
Philly fans got a glimpse of what to expect during Brunson's three seasons at Villanova. Against the 76ers, he buried three 3s and scored 16 points in the second quarter — in the same arena where two Villanova national championship banners he helped win are raised in the rafters. Fans wearing Brunson's No. 1 Villanova jersey dotted the crowd.
Brunson was even called by Allen Iverson for a halftime hug. The former 76ers star sat courtside in the first half and received a roaring ovation when he was introduced to the crowd.
Tyrese Maxey scored 27 for the Sixers, who lost third-leading scorer Tobias Harris (17.3 ppg) to left ankle soreness. Harris had just five points in 24 minutes. The 76ers committed 14 turnovers.
“I don’t think we took them lightly,” Maxey said. “They just punched us in the mouth at the end of that first (quarter).”
Embiid looked sluggish in his second game since missing four in a row with a sprained right ankle. No longer bothered by the knee, Embiid moved slowly – when he moved at all.
Late in the first half, Julius Randle missed a jumper and Embiid made no rebound attempts. Hart cut untouched under Embiid for an uncontested tip-in and a 15-point lead.
“It’s just a really tough night for us,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said. “It was 3s, free throws, layups – everything didn’t seem to be bouncing our way.”
FOLLOWING
The Knicks play Saturday at Washington.
It's doubtful whether Harris will play when the 76ers host Utah on Saturday.
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