Knicks Fall to 76ers 98–93 in NBA Cup Opener

Jalen Brunson briefly put New York ahead in the closing minutes, but Philadelphia delivered the decisive plays to secure a 98–93 victory.

The New York Knicks nearly turned a frustrating evening into another comeback win. Instead, their NBA Cup title defense began with a narrow defeat.

After spending most of the game chasing the Philadelphia 76ers, New York finally moved ahead late in the fourth quarter. The advantage was short-lived. Philadelphia responded with timely baskets from LeBron James and VJ Edgecombe before closing out a 98–93 win.

The result dropped the Knicks to 2–4, while the Sixers improved to 5–1. For New York, the disappointment came with an additional concern: Brunson appeared to turn his right ankle during the final minute, although he remained on the floor to take his free throws.

Philadelphia’s Defense Sets the Tone

The Sixers established control early by making New York work for almost every scoring opportunity. Their pressure disrupted the Knicks’ rhythm, limited clean perimeter looks and prevented the visitors from building any sustained momentum.

New York shot just 27% from the field in the opening quarter. Philadelphia, meanwhile, committed no turnovers during the period, giving the Knicks few opportunities to generate easier offense.

Tyrese Maxey immediately became a problem for New York’s defense, while James, Joel Embiid and Edgecombe contributed to a balanced start.

Even Tyler Kolek, whose careful ball handling had been a bright spot during the opening stretch of the season, found himself under pressure. Shortly after entering in the first quarter, he committed his first turnover of the campaign.

An eight-point Philadelphia run created further separation before Josh Hart provided a response from three-point range. The Knicks reached the first break trailing 29–21.

Knicks Struggle to Find Answers Before Halftime

Philadelphia continued to dictate the pace in the second quarter, combining ball movement with aggressive drives into the paint.

With Jose Alvarado unavailable because of an ankle injury, Kolek again handled backup point guard responsibilities. He finished with two points and four assists in 13 minutes, but Philadelphia’s defensive attention made this a more difficult assignment than his recent outings.

Miles McBride offered some useful offense, finding opportunities around the elbows and contributing on the offensive glass. His production helped New York remain within reach as the deficit grew to 14.

Mikal Bridges also provided a timely corner three, but Maxey answered from distance. The Knicks then failed to produce a shot on their final possession of the half, leaving Philadelphia ahead 53–44.

New York held a 23–19 rebounding advantage at the break, yet that edge did not translate into control. The Knicks had no fast-break points and struggled to match Philadelphia’s effectiveness inside the arc.

Karl-Anthony Towns led New York with nine first-half points. Brunson had seven, while Maxey paced Philadelphia with 15.

Brunson Ignites a Run, but Simons Pushes Back

The third quarter began poorly for the Knicks. A missed Hart three, a Bridges turnover and five points from Maxey quickly restored Philadelphia’s 14-point cushion.

Brunson then helped change the direction of the game.

He scored seven consecutive points during an 11–1 New York surge. Bridges contributed with a steal against Edgecombe and a three-pointer, forcing Sixers coach Nick Nurse to call timeout.

Philadelphia’s response was immediate. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simons connected from beyond the arc, while James attacked the basket. The Sixers tightened their defense and rebuilt a double-digit advantage.

Simons proved particularly difficult to contain. He finished with 21 points, making five of his eight three-point attempts in 31 minutes.

New York continued to battle, with McBride and Brunson helping trim the deficit again. But another Simons three near the end of the period sent Philadelphia into the fourth quarter leading 77–68.

Clarkson Helps New York Make Its Final Push

Jordan Clarkson did not enter until the beginning of the fourth quarter, but his activity helped the Knicks mount another challenge.

Playing alongside Kolek, McBride, OG Anunoby and Towns, Clarkson added energy to a lineup searching for a breakthrough. His tip-in following a missed McBride three brought New York within three points, its closest position since the opening quarter.

After an Embiid basket and a timeout, Mike Brown returned to Brunson while keeping Clarkson on the floor alongside Bridges, Hart and Towns. Anunoby remained on the bench during that stretch as New York pursued more offense.

A Towns three-pointer cut the margin to two. Then Brunson, after an earlier miss and a difficult possession against James, finally connected from deep to put the Knicks in front.

For a moment, another comeback victory appeared within reach.

James and Edgecombe Decide the Finish

Philadelphia regained the lead on a James fadeaway with 1:10 remaining.

Brunson missed a floater on New York’s next opportunity, and Edgecombe followed with his first three-pointer of the night. The shot gave the Sixers a 94–90 advantage with 34 seconds left.

The Knicks’ next possession brought an injury scare. Brunson slipped during an isolation against Edgecombe and appeared to roll his right ankle. A foul was called on the play, and Brunson made one free throw to bring New York within three.

Philadelphia then secured the crucial second chance. Maxey missed a contested layup, but James followed the play and finished the putback, extending the lead to 96–91 with 12 seconds remaining.

An Anunoby dunk kept the Knicks mathematically alive before two Philadelphia free throws settled the result.

Towns’ Double-Double Cannot Rescue New York

Brunson finished with 24 points on 8-for-22 shooting. Towns added 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Bridges contributed 12 points and three steals. McBride scored 10, Anunoby had nine and Hart finished with seven points and six rebounds.

Philadelphia received 27 points from Maxey and 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists from James. Embiid supplied 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Edgecombe finished with 13 points and eight boards.

The Knicks showed enough resilience to make the finish competitive, but their slow start and uneven execution left little room for error. Against a Philadelphia team that held them to 32% shooting from three-point range, the late response was not enough.

New York returns home to face the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, looking for a more complete performance and clarity on Brunson’s ankle.