NBA
right here aren’t any further factors awarded for fashion within the NBA standings, however the Knicks really tried to win this one in as ugly trend as possible.
With each groups lacking a number of key gamers, the Knicks couldn’t absolutely overcome their lowest-scoring first half in additional than 9 years — and a late shoving match couldn’t spark them to a comeback victory — as they dropped a pivotal recreation for playoff positioning at house, 79-73, to the 76ers with one other head-to-head matchup looming Tuesday on the Backyard.
“Like s–t,” Josh Hart stated succinctly when requested to evaluate the Knicks’ efficiency.
Certainly, one recreation after holding the Magic to 74 factors — the bottom complete allowed by the Knicks since 2012 — they posted their lowest offensive output since April 2018 and the bottom by any crew within the NBA this season.
“It was a bodily, hard-fought recreation. We got here up quick. Our turnovers most likely had been the distinction within the recreation,” Tom Thibodeau stated of his crew’s season-high-tying 21 giveaways. “Their ball strain had quite a bit to do with it. So we have now to do a greater job with that.
“We had an opportunity on the finish, however we had a few turnovers that harm us there. That’s the best way it goes generally.”
Jalen Brunson (19 factors) and Donte DiVincenzo (15) mixed on a 12-for-39 taking pictures evening for the Knicks, who completed the sport 9-for-40 from 3-point vary.
“I performed like canine–t. That’s it,” Brunson stated.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 18 factors and Buddy Hield added 16 for the Sixers. Additionally they got here to city hobbled, lacking reigning league MVP Joel Embiid and first-time All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey. They’d dropped 15 of their earlier 21 video games to slide into the No. 7 play-in place within the Jap Convention, however they’re now one recreation behind the fourth-place Knicks pending Tuesday’s rematch at MSG.
“They got here into our home a pair weeks in the past, and punched us within the mouth for 48 minutes, and we wished to return out right here and do the identical,” Oubre stated, referring to the Knicks’ 110-96 win in Philly on Feb. 22.
The Sixers scored solely 15 factors on 7-for-24 taking pictures (29.2 %) with 9 of 10 misses from lengthy vary within the opening quarter.
Sadly for the slow-starting Knicks, in addition they had been held to fifteen with a .333 field-goal share for an unsightly tie recreation by means of one. It marked the fifth time of their previous six video games that the Knicks didn’t attain 20 factors within the first quarter.
Brunson was fouled on his first made discipline objective for a standard three-point play, and he sank a turnaround mid-range jumper to drag the Knicks inside 33-29 with below three minutes remaining earlier than halftime.
The sloppy Knicks completed the half with a dozen turnovers, and so they had been 5-for-22 from lengthy distance.
DiVincenzo added a steal and dunk to make sure the Knicks a minimum of would attain 30 by means of two quarters, because the Sixers nursed a 37-31 benefit into intermission.
“The turnovers had been out of hand,” stated Hart, who dedicated six within the recreation.
It marked the Knicks’ lowest-scoring first half since January of 2015, when their beginning lineup featured Cole Aldrich and Cleanthony Early.
Nonetheless, DiVincenzo’s 3-ball from the nook made it a one-point recreation virtually halfway by means of the third, and he evened issues at 47-all one minute later with a reverse layup off a feed from Brunson.
However Hield buried two buckets from lengthy vary in a 14-5 response by the Sixers, who rebuilt their result in 63-56 getting into the ultimate quarter.
The Knicks (37-27) trailed by 9 with a shade below six minutes remaining, and so they nonetheless had been down 70-63 when DiVincenzo was fouled by Oubre alongside the baseline with 4:04 to go.
DiVincenzo then wrapped his arms across the Sixers’ guard and tackled him to the ground out of bounds. DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein had been assessed technical fouls from the following skirmish, with Paul Reed ‘T’-ed up for the Sixers.
“I’ve no remark,” DiVincenzo stated.
Tobias Harris missed the lone technical free throw awarded, however Reed knocked down a 3-pointer to increase the Knicks’ gap to 10.
“Simply a type of nights, however we had an opportunity to win,” Brunson stated. “We simply didn’t make sufficient performs ultimately. Plenty of turnovers.
“I gotta be higher as a participant, as a frontrunner, to ensure we’re all able to go, and we weren’t tonight.”
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