Deadspin | Knicks stumble into matchup with ailing Sixers

[ad_1] Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts in the course of the third quarter towards the Detroit Pistons at Madison Sq. Backyard. Obligatory Credit score: Brad Penner-Imagn Photographs The New York Knicks earned their ninth consecutive win on New 12 months's Day, however the momentum has not carried over into the remainder of January.

Since that victory to open the calendar yr, the Knicks have misplaced 5 of seven prematurely of a Wednesday matchup towards the host Philadelphia 76ers, who're equally hungry for a win.

New York is coming off a 124-119 house defeat to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Three gamers had double-doubles for the Knicks: Jalen Brunson with 31 factors and 11 assists, Karl-Anthony Cities with 26 factors and 12 rebounds, and Josh Hart with 12 factors and 14 boards.

The Knicks shot nicely from the sphere (50.0 p.c), the 3-point arc (40.5 p.c) and the foul line (82.8 p.c), however they had been unable to get sufficient stops towards Cade Cunningham and the bettering Pistons. Cunningham put up 36 factors, and 5 of his teammates scored in double figures.

"Offense wasn't the issue tonight," Brunson stated. "Defensively, we simply gave them numerous confidence."

The Knicks have given up at the least 100 factors in 9 of their final 10 video games, together with particular person video games wherein they allowed 132, 117, 139, 126 and 124 factors.

"Defensively, we have got to be higher," Hart stated. "Yeah, we have simply obtained to be higher."

The Knicks haven't gained back-to-back video games because the finish of the profitable streak, a convincing victory over the Utah Jazz on Jan 1. On the intense aspect, they'll play seven of their subsequent eight video games at house after the Wednesday contest.

"We're dropping video games I really feel like we should not be dropping," Hart stated. "We have got to start out figuring it out. We're midway via. There's nothing we will do in regards to the first half now. But when we need to be the crew we're attempting to be on the finish of the season, we have to begin correcting stuff now."

The Sixers have shared that mindset all season, as they've handled accidents to key gamers on Opening Evening and practically each sport since then. Their well being scenario reached a brand new low Tuesday once they performed with out eight of their prime 10 gamers (by way of minutes per sport) in a 118-102 loss to the visiting Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

"I all the time play who's obtainable," stated Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse, including that he did not have an replace on the standing of Joel Embiid (foot), Tyrese Maxey (hand) or Paul George (ankle) for the Wednesday affair.

Within the meantime, the Sixers coach was compelled to present heavy minutes to gamers akin to Justin Edwards and Jeff Dowtin Jr., each of whom produced career-high level totals on Tuesday (25 and 18, respectively). Edwards and Ricky Council IV each performed greater than 35 minutes towards the Thunder.

"For essentially the most half, a few of these guys performed fairly good, performed fairly onerous and executed fairly nicely," Nurse stated.

Maxey has missed seven video games this season, whereas George has sat out 12 video games. Embiid, the previous NBA MVP, has solely appeared in 13 of 38 contests.

"You are taking slightly little bit of a intestine punch (while you discover out that these guys will not play) and then you definately regroup and work out the beginning lineups ... and go play," Nurse stated.

The Wednesday sport is the second of 4 conferences between the groups this season. The visiting Knicks topped the Sixers 111-99 on Nov. 12 as OG Anunoby scored 24 factors.