Philadelphia trailed 54-58 at the half and never led by more than six, yet left Madison Square Garden with a 106-100 win. Tyrese Maxey scored 28 with five assists, Karl-Anthony Towns answered with 19 and 12, and the game turned on the last possessions with Nick Nurse's four stars and VJ Edgecombe on the floor together.
How did a team that trailed at halftime win this one?
By surviving the first half. The Knicks ran off a 6-0 spurt that put them up 28-38 and forced a Nurse timeout at 8:09 of the second quarter. That 10-point gap was New York's largest of the night. Philadelphia cut it to four by the break, tied it three times and took the lead three times, then held on through a finish decided on the final possessions. No overtime, no comfortable margin, just a six-point win on the road.
Who actually closed, and did the four-scorer lineup hold up?
Brown, Embiid, James, Maxey and Edgecombe played the last five minutes against Brunson, Hart, Towns, Bridges and Anunoby. It is the lineup every argument this month has been about, and it finished a one-possession game in New York without anyone hiding. Maxey, Brown and James all scored in the last period. New York's answer in that stretch came from Hart and Anunoby, not from Brunson, who finished with seven points on 3-of-8.
Who gets the grades, good and bad?
Maxey earns the A with 28 points, four rebounds and five assists, and he was already at 14 on 5-of-8 by halftime. Embiid gets a B: 10 points, four assists, two steals and a block in his 14 first-half minutes, with three turnovers to answer for. Anfernee Simons gets the D. Cleared the morning of the game, he shot 2-of-4 with two misses from three and the worst plus-minus on the team at minus 11 in 13 minutes.
Why was the bench a problem again?
Because it barely scored. Through the stretch where the box held, the starters had 38 points and the reserves had 8, split between Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Meanwhile Andre Drummond came off New York's bench for 10 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, a plus 7 in 15 minutes. With Dominick Barlow, Dean Wade and Tacko Fall all listed Out, Nurse had no size to answer him. That is a roster hole, not a one-night slump.
What changes before the Cavaliers come to town?
Not the injury list, at least not yet. Wade and Fall carry October 22 return estimates, which is Thursday, the same day Cleveland arrives on two days' rest. Barlow is not expected back until November 2. Then come the Bucks Saturday and the Pistons Sunday, three home dates in four nights. Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Nurse said Ariel Hukporti is doing well after Achilles surgery, which is the only good injury news.
Who led the Sixers in scoring against the Knicks?
Tyrese Maxey with 28 points, four rebounds and five assists. He had 14 by halftime on 5-of-8 shooting.
When is the Sixers' next game?
Thursday, October 22, at home against the Cavaliers on ESPN. The Bucks visit October 24 and the Pistons October 25.
