Jalen Brunson scored 31 points, OG Anunoby added 23, and the New York Knicks followed up the most lopsided win in franchise history with a hard-fought 112–109 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.
Fresh off a 120–66 demolition of Brooklyn on Wednesday, the Knicks carried that momentum into Philadelphia and finally broke through against the Sixers, earning their first win in three meetings this season. New York seized control with a dominant 30-point third quarter and held on down the stretch despite a furious push from Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 38 points and 11 rebounds, continuing his recent scoring surge, while Tyrese Maxey added 22 points. Philadelphia had a chance to extend the game late, but Embiid turned the ball over on the final possession as the Knicks appeared to attempt an intentional foul. Moments earlier, Maxey misfired on a rushed, long-distance 3-pointer after anticipating contact that never came.
The Sixers pulled within two in the final minutes before Anunoby and Landry Shamet drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to steady New York and blunt any comeback hopes. Brunson keyed a decisive 21–7 run to open the third quarter, quieting the crowd and replacing early boos with “Let’s go Knicks!” chants that echoed through the arena.
Brunson punctuated the surge with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 84–72, even offering a small wave afterward. Embiid tried to drag Philadelphia back, including a three-point play in the fourth that cut the deficit to 98–92 after drawing Karl-Anthony Towns’ sixth foul, but the Knicks had enough answers.
The win marked New York’s second straight after losing nine of its previous 11 games prior to the blowout of Brooklyn. Embiid, who played a season-high 46 minutes in an overtime win over Houston on Thursday, followed that effort with another dominant performance, scoring 28 points on 10-of-12 shooting in the first half alone. He has now scored at least 30 points in four straight games and reached 20 or more in a season-high 16 consecutive outings.
Up next:
Knicks host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.
76ers visit the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.
