The Philadelphia 76ers finish up their six-game homestand by welcoming the New York Knicks to town. The Sixers are coming off a huge 128-122 victory over the Rockets on Thursday night, while the Knicks just destroyed the Brooklyn Nets, 120-66, on Wednesday night. Despite the blowout, the Knicks are only 3-7 over their last 10 games, and the Sixers will be as healthy as they've been in years.
Who: New York Knicks (26-18) at Philadelphia 76ers (24-19)
When: 3:00 p.m. EST
Where: XFinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pa.
Watch: ABC
Despite some questionable officiating at the end of regulation, against the Rockets, the team was able to step up and finish off a very strong team. This is a step in the right direction for a team that's had a hard time against some of the league's better teams, and the Rockets are definitely one of those teams. The victory lets the whole team know that, despite some recent hiccups, they can still compete and win with the best in the league.
This Sixers team, in its current state, may be the most lethal we've seen in a very long time. Joel Embiid, with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, finished the Rockets game with a triple-double, while Tyrese Maxey, despite having the refs screw up a game-winning shot to end regulations, finished with 36 points and 10 assists. But the star of the night was Kelly Oubre Jr., whose recent return to the lineup has given the team another weapon and more flexibility.
Oubre Jr. finished with 26 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 10-14 shooting from the field and 4-5 on his three points attemtpts. His best game of the season was just what the Sixers needed, especially given the recent struggles of Paul George. Oubre's offense, combined with George's defense, gives the team a very good 1-2 punch at the small forward position as they move forward.
The Knicks seemed to be cruising to enter the new year, sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference and looking like the team that would remain at the top of the standings. Then they ran into the Sixers on Jan. 3, losing 130-119, which started a 3-7 slide over the past few weeks. Recently, they lost four games in a row before meeting the Nets and destroying them this past Wednesday.
Things may not be looking good for the immediate future, with a healthy and imposing Sixers team, then the Kings, Raptors, and Lakers all in the near future. The Nets game was so out of control that Landry Shamet was the second leading scorer in the game with 18 points. Jalen Brunson was the only player to play over 30 minutes, finishing with 31, and he led the team with 20 points.
The Knicks needed the Nets to get their heads straight. Shooting 57.5% from the floor and 50% on three-point attempts will help any team. The Nets were overmatched from the beginning, and the hope for the Knicks is that it will carry over into today's matchup with the Sixers.
There's one thing that good teams do, and until recently, the Sixers weren't doing it. When teammates are having bad games, other players need to step up, and maybe not in ways that they normally would be expected. When. VJ Edgecombe is having a poor shooting night, but he finds ways to contribute on defense while also seeming to have at least one highlight play every game. This team, as healthy as they are, may be starting to get things right.
Kelly Oubre Jr., inserted into the starting lineup, exploded against the Rockets, which is huge because Paul George has been virtually invisible on the offensive side of the ball of late. But when games are coming down to the wire, PG has been making huge plays or disrupting opponents when his team needs it most. Edgecombe, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, and even Quentin Grimes have all stepped up recently to help out as needed. It's a big step for a team with playoff aspirations.
Ultimately, it's going to come down to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. While Maxey has been playing at an MVP level all season, the gradual return of Embiid has played out perfectly for the team, as Joel has looked more like the best version of himself than he has in the past few years. They're not even at their peak yet, just getting a feel for the newer style and lineups rotating through this season.
Sixers 123 - Knicks 108
