Knicks fail to Sixers in ugly game at Garden

In a disappointing showdown at the Garden last night, the Knicks faced off against the Sixers in a low-scoring affair, ultimately falling short, 73-79.

Jalen Brunson led the charge with 19 points and 8 assists, alongside Donte DiVincenzo‘s commendable performance of 15 points and 9 rebounds as the Knicks struggled to find their offensive rhythm throughout the game.

Following a game where they held their opponents to a season-low, the Knicks were themselves held to their lowest scoring output of the season, managing just 73 points. The Sixers weren’t much better, tallying only 79 points, marking this contest as the lowest-scoring game of the season.

Despite their offensive struggles, the Knicks made a late push in the closing minutes of the game, with Josh Hart knocking down a crucial three-pointer to trim the deficit to 75-71. However, the Sixers responded swiftly, with Kyle Lowry sinking a timely three-pointer on the ensuing possession, thwarting any hopes of a Knicks comeback.

“We had a chance at the end, but we had a couple of turnovers that hurt us there. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”

– Tom Thibodeau

Although the Knicks managed to tie the game at 47 in the third quarter after trailing by nine points late in the second quarter, they faltered in their efforts to seize the lead, allowing the Sixers to surge ahead 61-52 before the final stretch.

The game got off to an unusual start, with both teams mustering just 15 points apiece in the opening quarter. Despite briefly holding a lead late in the first quarter, the Knicks found themselves trailing heading into halftime, with the Sixers holding a slim 37-31 advantage.

Josh Hart contributed a solid performance for the Knicks, chipping in with 9 points and 11 rebounds, while Bojan Bogdanovic provided 10 points off the bench.

For the Sixers, Kelly Oubre Jr. led the charge with 18 points and 10 rebounds, supported by Buddy Field’s 16 points off the bench.

Up-next: The two teams will meet again on Tuesday from 7:30