PHILADELPHIA — The Knicks and 76ers met on Tuesday night with much-changed rosters but an all-too-familiar goal — establishing a new level of dominance in the Eastern Conference, especially with both teams retooling to challenge the Boston Celtics.
Tuesday’s NBA Cup clash underscored just how different these two teams look from their playoff bout last season, as the Knicks secured a 111-99 win at Wells Fargo Center in a game marked by renewed intensity and fresh, high-stakes matchups. The win puts the Knicks 1-0 in Group A standings.
For the 76ers, an offseason makeover brought in All-Star forward Paul George, sharpshooter Eric Gordon, promising rookie Jared McCain, and former Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin. They also fortified their bench with France’s Guerschon Yabusele and re-signed Andre Drummond, all with the idea of giving MVP Joel Embiid a stronger supporting cast.
The Knicks were just as bold. They traded five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, shipped Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Towns, and re-signed OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa. With veteran guard Cameron Payne joining, New York built a roster around Jalen Brunson designed to spread the floor and operate at high efficiency.
As a result, Tuesday’s game was a preview of the new-look teams and a testament to their upgraded firepower.
“I think obviously both teams have changed quite a bit since that playoffs, and they’ve added two guys who can really play,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said before the game. “Those guys [Towns and Bridges] are both really good players, both got a really good perimeter game that we’ve gotta be mindful of. I guess we’re gonna have to wait and see.”
“Obviously, they added Paul George, but they’ve added a lot of good players, and Embiid gives them a different type of threat: inside, outside, off-the-dribble, the size,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said, adding, “Paul George is a long wing that can break you down off the dribble, a great catch-and-shoot player. [Kelly] Oubre is a terrific talent, and [Kyle] Lowry is a wily veteran and just does a lot of things that help the team stay organized. So they have a lot of good weapons.”
For the Knicks, balance was key on Tuesday night. Last season, they leaned heavily on Brunson’s scoring to navigate rough patches, but the new roster allows him to be a playmaker while the team spread the scoring load. Brunson went scoreless in the first quarter and had just eight points entering the final period, eventually finishing with 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting. The night belonged to a balanced offense, with six Knicks scoring in double figures, including Miles McBride, who posted 15 points off the bench and continued his early Sixth Man of the Year campaign.
“They were going through Brunson pretty much exclusively at that point [in the second half of] last year,” Nurse said of the Knicks’ evolution. “You’re certainly gonna get your dose of Brunson for sure, but obviously you’re gonna get KAT some shots. They’re doing a pretty good job of spreading it around. They get all those guys involved — even OG, who was with them last year, gets his moments. Much more balance.”
Anunoby led the way for the Knicks with 24 points on 11-of-16 shooting, taking advantage of lanes to the rim for easy buckets. Towns was also a force, contributing 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. Meanwhile, Josh Hart notched a triple-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, showcasing the Knicks’ collective approach to playmaking.
Embiid’s season debut was less about fireworks and more about shaking off the rust. After missing games due to a knee injury and a three-game suspension, the reigning MVP only played 26 minutes, finishing with 13 points on 2-of-11 shooting and relying primarily on free throws to do his scoring. Nurse had planned to keep Embiid’s minutes limited, noting before the game that the big man would play “20-25 minutes,” given his recovery.
George, meanwhile, did his part, scoring 29 points and grabbing 10 rebounds on 10-of-19 shooting. But as the game wore on, the Knicks’ defense tightened, and George was held to just six points in the fourth quarter. McCain contributed a notable 23 points off the bench, helping Philadelphia stay competitive. But the Knicks controlled the game, leading for nearly the entire contest save for a few brief Sixers runs at the beginning of the game and early in the third quarter.
Tuesday’s game reflected the Knicks’ ability to adapt and share the load on offense, with multiple scoring threats in Towns, Bridges, and Anunoby giving them flexibility Brunson couldn’t provide alone last season.
The new approach allowed Brunson to be both scorer and facilitator, something that caught Nurse’s attention.
“They’re trying to be a little more perimeter oriented,” Nurse observed. “And they’re doing a pretty good job of spreading it around.”
The Knicks hope to continue their momentum, having won a key division game in a challenging week. They’ll face the Chicago Bulls in the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, giving them a chance to further solidify their standing in the East’s crowded playoff race.
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