In the first game after the All-Star break, the Philadelphia 76ers took on a surging Knicks team that was missing their starting frontcourt. The Sixers were missing Joel Embiid, so the Knicks had a chance to take advantage of an undersized Paul Reed.
The Sixers’ sluggish start could be defined by poor rebounding and a lack of rim protection. The Knicks crashed the boards early and often, which gave them an early lead that ballooned as high as 20 in the first half.
Add to that a slow shooting start, and the Sixers found themselves in a hole going into the half. Tyrese Maxey was their primary scorer, and he was taking the bulk of shots as any All-Star would for his team missing their All-NBA center.
Villanova homecoming
It was a great night if you are a Villanova basketball fan. For years, several players from last night’s matchup played college hoops on the Wells Fargo Center court. Kyle Lowry was a Wildcat from 2004-2006 and debuted for the Sixers in front of his home crowd. On the other side, three former Villanova players who won NCAA National Championships suited up for New York.
Lowry’s impact was immediate. In his first game wearing a Sixers jersey, he scored points and assists when needed. He dished in the right situations and made some nice shots, including a reverse layup and his first basket as a Sixer. There was a scare in the first half when he caught an elbow from Jericho Sims. The blow sent Lowry to the locker room. He did return in the third quarter with a bandage on his forehead.
Lowry actually helped the Sixers rally in the fourth quarter, making crisp passes to open 3-point shooters. He gave a boost that narrowed the lead to just six points.
Remember the other Villanova players though? On the other side? Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, and Jalen Brunson put on a display of dynamic passing and shooting to thwart any chances for a Sixers win. Their chemistry for the Knicks last night reflected the years they played together under Jay Wright.
The Knick trio seemed to be in sync every step of the way. Hart had double-digit rebounds (12), while Brunson recorded double-digit assists (12). DiVincenzo was the Swiss army knife Tom Thibodeau needed on defense, with multiple steals and blocks.
Again, it was a great night to be a Villanova fan.
Shooting woes and more
When your team shoots 44 percent from the field, a victory will be hard to come by. That’s one of the major factors that contributed to the Sixers’ loss. Every starter for Philly shot under 50 percent except for Paul Reed, who only took two shots the entire game.
Maxey did put up 35 points but needed 24 shot attempts to reach that total. Tobias Harris and Buddy Hield could not get into rhythm, which helps explain why the Sixers faced a halftime deficit of 23 points.
The shooting lacked, but so did other aspects of the Sixers. The Sixers transition defense was terrible throughout the game. The result was that the Knicks had 23 points off of turnovers. Even Tyrese Maxey commented after the game, “We didn’t communicate in certain spots. We didn’t follow the game plan.”
The fact that the Sixers were also outrebounded while giving up five more offensive boards demonstrates the lack of effort and size versus a hungrier group of Knicks players. Ultimately, the more polished game plan and solid execution by the Knicks proved to be the ultimate difference between the two opponents.
If the Sixers want to get back on track tonight against the Cavs, they will certainly need a more concerted effort.
