We hadn’t even finished the yule log, which we already saw on our way to the appetizer for this Christmas Day. A more than promising Knicks – Sixers at Madison Square Garden, all at 6 p.m. French time, and for this first game of the evening, visitors from Pennsylvania, led by Joel Embiid, came to celebrate Christmas as a team in the Big Apple.
Oh how beautiful was this poster. Two teams in excellent shape, starting with the New Yorkers who are surfing on a month of December marked by a series of 8 wins and renewed confidence in Tom Thibodeau (for how long?) despite two recent defeats. In front ? Sixers undefeated for 7 games, and gathered behind a Joel Embiid current top scorer in the League with 33 points per game. Well accompanied by James Harden and… George Niang (that is), Jojo finally came to secure the victory at the end of the match, following chasing the score for a good part of the evening, in front of a few regulars of the house.
Back in the Garden for #NBAXmas! ????
Knicks-Sixers is live now on ABC and ESPN. pic.twitter.com/xON8LwpYdJ
— NBA (@NBA) December 25, 2022
Congratulations to the three fans who still gave Philadelphia the winner at the end of the first quarter, we didn’t see it coming. One would have thought that the eighteen granny dishes had not yet passed at the start of the match on the 76ers side, and on the other side, we might count on Jalen Brunson to keep us from sleeping on the table. Awesome footwork (ask Alex Caruso), and caviars in all directions (11 during the match), just enough to put the Knicks in orbit early in the game. Julius Randle was not left out either and will even end this clash at 35 points and 8 rebounds.
Julius Randle today:
35 PTS
8 REB
4 AST
4 3PM#NBAXmas ???????? pic.twitter.com/PpVF2hKNdl— NBA (@NBA) December 25, 2022
However, the second quarter already sounds the beginning of the revolt for Philly. Well at least the last three minutes of it, where Jojo and his friends wake up to stick a nice run to the New Yorkers, a run punctuated by a huge 3 from Shake Milton at the buzzer.
SHAKE MILTON FROM HALF COURT AT THE BUZZER ????#NBAXmas | Live on ABC & ESPN ???? pic.twitter.com/WXYLark2C7
— NBA (@NBA) December 25, 2022
A return from the locker room and a complete digestion later, the 76ers decide to pull their fingers out to stay in the game. We find in particular a beautiful cleanliness of the most famous bearded man in the NBA, which plants 12 of his 29 points in the third period, including a kill arrow from range, bringing the 76ers down to 1 small point just 5 seconds from the end of QT3.
We then attack a last quarter that promises to be breathless, but the Knicks are not of this opinion. On the benches of New York, we take the second cool kiss effect of the New Year’s Eve party in the face, and nothing goes in. 6/22 collectively in the last quarter, Julius and his crew no longer know how to put the orange ball in the hoop, and Phila takes off. After being behind from the first in-between, the 76ers took the lead for the first time ten minutes from time, on a 3 from George Niang. Good old George, let’s talk regarding that. Four bombs from the parking lot in the last quarter, and the winger came out of hiding at the perfect time to bring the win to the 76ers on a plateau.
George Niang tonight pic.twitter.com/H1bOC71SLp
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) December 25, 2022
Victory for Philly therefore for the first match of this beautiful Christmas evening, thanks to big performances from the leaders and the contribution of the role players at the right time. Eighth consecutive success for the Doc Rivers guys, New York won’t be able to shout bing bong to the sound of the bells this year, and poor Vavane didn’t even get the minutes he asked for from Santa Claus…
