The Knicks lost their preseason opener at Philadelphia 120-97, blown open by a 13-point second quarter the bench never clawed back. Andre Drummond outplayed James Wiseman at both ends, posting a plus-nine in 12 minutes while Wiseman finished minus-13 in nine.
Blown Open
New York hung with Philadelphia for a quarter: eleven lead changes, eight ties, a five-point Knicks lead at one point in the opening period. Then the 76ers ripped off a 39-26 second quarter, and the margin never shrank below 14 again, growing to 23 by the final horn in a 120-97 preseason loss.
Philly's Fire
Jaylen Brown did the most damage in the fewest minutes: 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting in just 17 minutes. Caleb Love torched New York off the Philadelphia bench, 15 points and six assists, plus-18 in 24 minutes. VJ Edgecombe added 12 points and seven assists. The Knicks had no answer for any of it.
Center Derby
Andre Drummond gave New York's shakiest position some answers: six points, five boards, three blocks, a plus-nine in just 12 minutes. James Wiseman could not match it — he made three of four shots and still finished minus-13 in nine minutes. Mohamed Diawara logged 18 minutes, scored eight points and grabbed five boards, still searching for his own answer at both ends.
Who Closed
Mike Brown closed with James Wiseman, Jordan Clarkson, Mohamed Diawara, Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek on the floor over the final five minutes, and it did not work. Clarkson finished minus-19 in 14 minutes, worst mark on the roster. Dadiet was minus-18 in 18 minutes. Landry Shamet, who never saw that lineup, was the clean positive: 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, plus-seven in 11 minutes.
Bottom Line
None of it counts yet. New York is still 0-0, with the Wizards visiting Madison Square Garden in three days and the regular-season opener against this same Philadelphia team two weeks out. This was the Knicks' only true road game of the week, and the center spot is the one job genuinely up for grabs — Drummond made the louder case tonight.
What was the final score of Knicks vs. 76ers in preseason?
Philadelphia won 120-97 on October 5, 2026, in a preseason game that doesn't count toward the standings.
How did Andre Drummond play against the 76ers?
Drummond scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked three shots in 12 minutes, finishing plus-nine — the best mark on the Knicks roster that night.
