PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 31 points, OG Anunoby added 23 and the New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-109 on Saturday for the most lopsided victory in franchise history.
The Knicks beat the Nets 120-66 on Wednesday and then scored 30 points in the third quarter in a tougher road test to help them beat the 76ers for the first time in three games this season.
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Joel Embiid finished with 38 points and 11 rebounds, but he turned the ball over on the final play of the game after the Knicks appeared to try to intentionally foul him. Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points for the 76ers, but in the final seconds he missed a loose ball on a 3-point attempt near half court as he expected an intentional foul but it didn’t happen.
The 76ers tied the score at two points in the final moments until Anunoby and Landry Shamet hit consecutive three-pointers to help the Knicks avoid a collapse late in the game.
Led by Brunson, the Knicks started on a 21-7 run that made Philadelphia sound a little like the inside of Madison Square Garden. “Let’s go Knicks!” That chant was largely silenced by boos during a competitive first half, and instead, every Knicks bucket filled the arena.
Brunson led 84-72 after hitting a three-pointer. Embiid tried to rally the Sixers, and his fourth-quarter 3-pointer — aided by Karl-Anthony Towns’ sixth foul — made it 98-92.
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As if that wasn’t enough, the Knicks had lost nine of their previous 11 games against the Nets and were now on a two-game winning streak. Moderate, yes, but enough to ensure the Sixers don’t finish ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings.
Embiid played a season-high 46 minutes in an overtime win over Houston on Thursday and scored 28 points on 10-for-12 shooting in the first half on Saturday.
This season, he never looked like his old self as he sprinted down the lane and delivered a one-handed dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Embiid has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games and has scored a season-high 20 points in 16 consecutive games.
Next
Knicks: Host Sacramento on Tuesday.
76ers: Visit Charlotte on Monday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA