Behind a huge fourth quarter, the Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 106-104 on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Here are some key takeaways…
– Tom Thibodeau gave the Knicks’ starting lineup a little shakeup to begin this one. Making his second appearance of the season, Quentin Grimes got the start alongside Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson over Evan Fournier.
– The Knicks got off to a bit of a slow start on the night. They committed four fouls in the first five minutes of the game, missed four of their first five shot attempts, and turned the ball over three times.
Barrett and Randle combined for the Knicks’ first nine points on the night before Brunson hit a pair of free throws with four and a half remaining in the quarter. Immanuel Quickley was the first sub in off the bench after Grimes picked up a pair of early fouls.
Despite the struggles and eight turnovers, the Knicks only trailed by one at the end of the first, 22-21. Both teams shot a combined 19 percent (4-for-21) from three-point land in the quarter.
Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with nine points, Randle had six points, and Barrett reeled in five defensive rebounds.
– Both offenses finally started to heat up a bit in the second. A Brunson three gave the Knicks their first lead of the game four minutes into the quarter, as he and Barrett were leading the charge offensively.
With Robinson hobbled by a sore knee and in foul trouble, Isaiah Hartenstein stepped up with some big minutes off the bench. He had four points and seven rebounds in nine first-half minutes.
Randle was called for a technical foul after arguing with the official. He responded to that right away by draining a three on the other end which helped spark a run. The Knicks finished the half on a really strong note and took a 58-53 lead into the half.
Thibodeau was working deep into his rotations with 11 different players making an appearance in the first half. Brunson, Randle, and Barrett led the way with 13 points each for the Knicks.
After getting the start, Grimes saw just five minutes of action in the first half. He picked up the two early fouls and missed his only shot. As a result, Cam Reddish saw some time with the starters to end the first and he stepped up with seven points.
– At halftime, Robinson was ruled out for the rest of the game due to a sore right knee. Hartenstein took his place to begin the third and made a quick impact with a block and a board in the first two minutes.
About halfway through the quarter Maxey got scorching hot, scoring ten straight points to put the 76ers back in front, 69-68.
The Knicks went on a five-minute stretch without recording a basket before Barrett drained a pair from the free-throw line. An 11-2 Philly run gave them their largest lead of the night, 83-74, heading into the final frame.
– The Knicks’ offensive struggles continued into the fourth, as the 76ers opened up an 86-74 lead. Obi Toppin finally got the Knicks going with five straight points – a three and an alley-oop – to cut into the deficit.
The Sixers then fell into a bit of a drought and the Knicks were able to cut the lead down to four after a pair of Brunson free throws and a Reddish lay-in. A 13-4 Knicks run had the score set at 96-94 with a minute and a half remaining.
Toppin then drilled a corner three and a possession later Brunson hit a layup plus the foul, to put the Knicks ahead 100-96. The two teams traded free throws in the final minute, and the Knicks just barely held on for a thrilling 106-104 victory, snapping their losing streak.
– Behind the tandem of Toppin and Randle, the Knicks won the fourth quarter 32-21. With that dynamic duo on the floor, New York outscored Philly 29-15 on the night. Toppin contributed 17 points off the bench, 13 of which came in the fourth.
Brunson led the Knicks with 23 points, Barrett had 22 points, and Randle had 17. In his homecoming, Reddish went 4-for-4 from the field with 11 points, a steal, a block, and a pair of assists.
Highlights
What’s next
The Knicks have a quick turnaround as they’ll return home to take on Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics on Saturday night at 7:30 pm.
