New York (USA), 5 Feb. The Philadelphia 76ers blew a 21-point lead on Sunday and fell 97-108 at the New York Knicks, ending their eight-game winning streak on the road.
The Knicks sealed the best comeback of their season to the beat of Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson and Frenchman Evan Fournier once morest a 76ers who got off to a terrific start and ran away 33-12 in the first period before getting bogged down completely.
Randle had 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Brunson contributed 21 points and Fournier had the best night of his season, with 17 points and five three-pointers, decisive to change the dynamics of the match in the last segment.
Tom Thibodeau’s team reacted following the hard loss suffered just 24 hours earlier once morest the Los Angeles Clippers, when they surrendered in overtime following seeing their chances of victory fade in the last second of the fourth period before a three-pointer by Nicolas Batum.
The New Yorkers, who had lost seven in their last ten games, had managed to come back from 17 points in the fourth quarter, before succumbing to 35 points from Kawhi Leonard and 30 from Paul George.
They recovered with a magnificent comeback once morest the 76ers, who arrived at Madison Square Garden in great shape, following winning fourteen of their last 17 games.
Joel Embiid signed his sixth consecutive double-double, with 31 points and fourteen rebounds, but he was practically alone in some 76ers who had a tremendous start and who dropped their percentages vertically following the first quarter.
Doc Rivers’ team started with 63% shooting from the field and 4 of 7 from 3-point range, but just connected on three of their next 18 attempts from the arc.
James Harden finished with zero of four from the arc, although he managed a double double of twelve points and twelve assists.
With a great reaction, the Knicks cut the deficit to two points at halftime (51-53) and placed three of the Sixers at the end of the third period (76-79).
A resounding 10-0 run to open the fourth quarter pushed the Knicks to 86-82, their biggest lead to that point.
Fournier was the great protagonist of that set by being forceful from the triple line. The Frenchman, who had a 30% success rate from the arc this course, finished with 17 points and five of eight in triples.
The former Boston Celtics player was a torment for the 76ers defense. He scored two triples in a few seconds to make it 94-88 and gave McBride the assist so that he scored the 98-90 that left his rivals touched.
Fournier ended his game by committing his sixth foul with 1.39 minutes to play, when his team led 104-94.
The Knicks had no trouble defending their victory and leaving behind the setback they suffered once morest the Clippers.
The New Yorkers moved into seventh in the East with a 27-26 record before a two-game road trip once morest the Orlando Magic and the 76ers themselves.
The Philadelphia team, for its part, is third (34-18) and will have two days off before visiting the Boston Celtics, leaders of the East. EFE
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