Knicks 103, 76ers 96: “A step forward”
The New York Knicks are three games above .500 following their latest 106-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
As of Tuesday morning, only 10 of the NBA’s 30 teams sit with seven or more tallies in the win column. Among them: your New York Knicks.
Perhaps that number doesn’t jump off the page for you, given the team’s consistent ineptitudes on offense, and ever-lapsing effort on defense.
But if we can rely on nothing as fans of this great game, it’s the facts we turn to at the end of the day.
And for New York, following their 103-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the fact is this: regardless of how sluggish things have seemed to start off 2021-2022, this team is taking steps forward.
If you won’t take my word for it, take that of the team’s captain and number one stud Julius Randle, who echoed the same sentiment to the New York Post’s Marc Berman postgame:
“We took a step forward today — all of us.”
It’s not the first step this team’s taken, but it’s certainly the most recent.
And against a Philadelphia team missing three members of its starting five, New York had little choice but to take that step in order to avoid their fourth loss over a five-game stretch.
Last season, the Knicks earned their seventh win in the 15th game of the season.
This year, it took them four less games.
A step forward indeed.
The opening and third periods were the most contested on Monday, with the New York Knicks getting out to a slow start against Philadelphia.
Randle started off what would go on to be one of his best performances of the season with this 3-pointer; a byproduct of some honest effort moving the ball:
For the 76ers, it was Seth Curry who got things started, as he scored seven of their first eight, seemingly playing directly on the PTSD of Knicks fans and the many career performances we’ve watched helplessly from our living rooms.
But despite Curry’s early efforts, the third member of basketball’s most potent bloodline, New York took a 28-20 lead after the first quarter.
To start the second quarter, it was Derrick Rose who spun the offense into high gear, and the Knicks into a 42-27 lead by the time he checked out at the halfway point of the period.
Obi Toppin continues to have nice moments, largely all hustle plays, and under head coach Tom Thibodeau, that will only be rewarded.
New York walked into halftime comfortably atop Philadelphia with a 58-44 lead, behind 51/33/100 shooting splits.
For a moment, it seemed the Knicks were getting ready to flash the dominance fans have longed to see as the team hopes for a playoff return.
As has been the case, it wasn’t that easy.
Philadelphia got as close as within one point through three quarters, thanks to Furkan Korkmaz, who couldn’t be slowed from deep.
But the 76ers never regained the lead, one they hadn’t held since the first quarter, 19-17.
Julius Randle and Kemba Walker closed things out down the stretch, with New York’s newest point guard and the All-Star forward flashing a promising chemistry that bears watching.
Behind a 31-point, 12-rebound performance from Julius, the Knicks took care of business on the road and beat a team that (with or without their stars) walked into Monday night having won six straight games.
Up next is the reigning 2021 champs, who also suffered a home loss to the orange and blue just two games back, 113-98.
Notes
New York has now beaten Philadelphia in consecutive games, after losing 19 straight matchups against them prior to this season.
An unfortunate win for the Andre Drummond-supporting chapter of Knicks fans, as he collected 25 rebounds on the night with Mitchell Robinson out and Taj Gibson his primary matchup.
For those of you who still think he’d have been a good fit in New York, read the last 10 words of the previous point.
That being said, according to Stathead, there have been 24 20-plus rebound performances against the Knicks since the 2009-2010 season. With their win over the 76ers, their record in those games improves to 7-17.
And yes, for those wondering, Drummond is the most common repeat offender on that list. He’s recorded 20-plus rebounds against New York five different times.
This was as dominant a performance from Taj as we’ve been privy to as of late. Our favorite veteran finished with seven points, eight rebounds, an assist, and two blocks in a season-high 31-plus minutes. His defense on Drummond is the only reason the big fella didn’t record the season’s first 30-rebound game.
Immanuel Quickley doubters, be silent. He broke a seemingly season-long shooting slump, scoring 10 points and connecting on three game-altering shots from behind the arc in this one.
This was Randle’s third 30-plus point outing thus far this season. Through 11 games last season, he reached that mark just once, a win over the Utah Jazz.
John Hollinger poster boy Paul Reed finished scoreless with three rebounds in five minutes of play. A win for the good guys, as far as I’m concerned.
It’s increasingly noteworthy that Thibs trusted Kemba down the stretch over Rose, and even more so given that his gamble paid off. Walker didn’t play for their first game of the back to back, but made key plays in the fourth of this one.
Congrats to head coach Tom Thibodeau, as Monday’s win represents the 400th of his career. Never change.
I had a parlay running that featured two or more Seth Curry threes (got it), the over on Randle’s rebounds (got it), but also the over on RJ Barrett’s points. I’m not saying I wouldn’t be here writing this recap if it had hit, but I’m not not saying that.
You can mourn for me, but be happy for Shwinnypooh, who wouldn’t have been able to cover recap duty seeing as he was *checks notes* busy manhandling former NBA execs on Twitter.
This matchup against a (deep breath) Ben Simmons-, Joel Embiid-, Matisse Thybulle-, and Tobias Harris-less Philadelphia 76ers represented about as true of a must-win as the New York Knicks have come across this year.
And for what feels like the first time for 2021-2022, Julius Randle and company made good on that expectation. A step forward.
Now let’s avoid taking two steps back.