76ers break open tight game with second-quarter surge, beat Knicks 120-97

A close start, then a one-way middle

For much of the first quarter, neither side could create lasting separation. New York led 10-7 after OG Anunoby's free throws, Philadelphia answered behind Jaylen Brown, and the period kept tilting back and forth until Kentavious Caldwell-Pope drilled a late three for a 33-32 76ers lead. It felt like the kind of night that might stay within a possession or two for a long stretch.

Instead, the game turned hard in the second quarter. Anunoby opened the period by putting the Knicks back in front, and Karl-Anthony Towns later hit from deep to make it 40-39 New York with 9:32 left in the half. That was the opening Philadelphia needed. Brown hit from long range twice in the quarter, Jabari Walker added a three, Caleb Love buried three of his own before halftime, and VJ Edgecombe kept the offence moving with drives, free throws and playmaking. By the break, the 76ers had won the quarter 39-26 and built a 72-58 advantage.

New York did make one meaningful push after halftime. Landry Shamet and Tyler Kolek scored early, and Mohamed Diawara's inside finish cut the margin to 78-71 midway through the third. Philadelphia answered quickly. Justin Edwards knocked down a three, Jameer Nelson Jr. produced a three-point play, and the 76ers closed the quarter back in control at 93-79. When Rayan Rupert opened the fourth with a three and Dillon Jones followed with a floater, the cushion was back to 19 and the rest of the night belonged to Philadelphia. The lead later reached 24, matching the game's largest margin.

Brown ignites it, and the support keeps coming

Brown delivered the game's cleanest burst of scoring. He finished with 22 points in 17 minutes, shooting 8-for-13 from the field and 3-for-5 from three-point range. More important than the total was the timing. His scoring stabilized Philadelphia in the first quarter and helped trigger the second-quarter breakaway when the game was still there to be claimed.

He was hardly alone. Edgecombe paired 12 points with seven assists and repeatedly linked one possession to the next. Love added 15 points and six assists, giving Philadelphia another creator who could finish plays or extend them. Walker supplied a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, Saint Thomas posted 11 points and 10 boards, and Jones added nine points and six rebounds. That kind of spread explains the broader team numbers: 29 assists, 53 rebounds and 16 made threes.

The Knicks had useful individual stretches, but not enough sustained offence. Anunoby and Jalen Brunson scored 12 points apiece, Shamet added 10, and Diawara and James Wiseman each scored eight. Kolek chipped in five assists, and New York's 15 offensive rebounds created second chances. Even so, the overall efficiency never followed. The Knicks shot 38.5 per cent from the field, struggled badly from three-point range and left points behind at the line by going 19-for-32. Against a team spacing the floor as well as Philadelphia did, that was too much ground to give away.

Our take

Philadelphia's best work came from the variety of its offence. This was not a one-man scoring night dressed up as balance. Brown finished possessions, Edgecombe organized them, Love stretched the floor, and several others kept the glass active. The 76ers also protected the ball well enough to prevent New York from turning hustle into momentum; Philadelphia finished with fewer turnovers and held the Knicks to only one steal. That combination of clean passing and reliable perimeter scoring was the real difference.

If there is a caution for the 76ers, it is that New York still found life through second-chance work and briefly trimmed the margin to seven in the third. Allowing 15 offensive rebounds can reopen games. For the Knicks, the route to a better night is easier to identify than to solve: the rebounding effort and 46 points in the paint gave them something to build on, but the outside shooting, free-throw accuracy and turnover count made the margin feel deserved. When one team hits 16 threes and the other cannot buy enough of them, a close game in the first quarter can become a runaway by the fourth.

Scoring moments

1st Quarter · 11:25
Jalen Brunson makes 18-foot two point shot
1st Quarter · 10:53
Dean Wade makes layup (Ariel Hukporti assists)
1st Quarter · 10:30
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes two point shot (VJ Edgecombe assists)
1st Quarter · 10:09
Josh Hart makes 1-foot reverse layup (Karl-Anthony Towns assists)
1st Quarter · 9:24
Jaylen Brown makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Quarter · 9:13
Jaylen Brown makes 12-foot fade away jump shot
1st Quarter · 8:52
Karl-Anthony Towns makes 1-foot two point shot (Jalen Brunson assists)
1st Quarter · 8:30
OG Anunoby makes two point shot
1st Quarter · 8:14
OG Anunoby makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Quarter · 8:14
OG Anunoby makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Quarter · 7:29
Jaylen Brown makes two point shot
1st Quarter · 7:29
Jaylen Brown makes free throw 1 of 1
1st Quarter · 7:07
Mikal Bridges makes two point shot
1st Quarter · 6:39
Jalen Brunson makes 26-foot running pullup jump shot
1st Quarter · 6:31
Jaylen Brown makes 26-foot three pointer
1st Quarter · 5:53
Jabari Walker makes 26-foot three point jumper (VJ Edgecombe assists)
1st Quarter · 5:21
VJ Edgecombe makes driving layup (Justin Edwards assists)
1st Quarter · 4:41
Jalen Brunson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Karl-Anthony Towns assists)
1st Quarter · 4:26
VJ Edgecombe makes driving layup (Jaylen Brown assists)
1st Quarter · 4:02
Jaylen Brown makes 13-foot pullup jump shot (VJ Edgecombe assists)
1st Quarter · 3:22
Jaylen Brown makes 13-foot driving floating jump shot
1st Quarter · 3:10
Landry Shamet makes 26-foot three point jumper (Tyler Kolek assists)
1st Quarter · 2:40
Tyler Kolek makes 1-foot two point shot (Andre Drummond assists)
1st Quarter · 2:25
Labaron Philon Jr. makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
1st Quarter · 2:17
Landry Shamet makes 26-foot three point jumper (Miles McBride assists)
1st Quarter · 1:55
Andre Drummond makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Quarter · 1:55
Andre Drummond makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Quarter · 1:19
OG Anunoby makes 1-foot two point shot (Miles McBride assists)
1st Quarter · 1:00
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes 15-foot pullup jump shot (VJ Edgecombe assists)
1st Quarter · 37.7
VJ Edgecombe makes running dunk (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope assists)
1st Quarter · 23.0
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes 27-foot running jump shot (Labaron Philon Jr. assists)
1st Quarter · 0.9
OG Anunoby makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Quarter · 0.9
OG Anunoby makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 11:49
OG Anunoby makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Mikal Bridges assists)
2nd Quarter · 11:36
VJ Edgecombe makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 11:36
VJ Edgecombe makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 11:09
Mikal Bridges makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 10:48
Andre Drummond makes tip shot
2nd Quarter · 10:17
Jaylen Brown makes 26-foot three pointer
2nd Quarter · 10:01
VJ Edgecombe makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 9:32
Karl-Anthony Towns makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jalen Brunson assists)
2nd Quarter · 9:07
Jabari Walker makes two point shot
2nd Quarter · 8:54
Jaylen Brown makes 1-foot running dunk (Jabari Walker assists)
2nd Quarter · 8:42
OG Anunoby makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 8:42
OG Anunoby makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 7:59
Rayan Rupert makes 24-foot three point jumper (Labaron Philon Jr. assists)
2nd Quarter · 7:46
Jalen Brunson makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 7:46
Jalen Brunson makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 7:39
Jaylen Brown makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Quarter · 7:14
Jalen Brunson makes two point shot
2nd Quarter · 7:03
Jabari Walker makes 24-foot three point jumper (Caleb Love assists)
2nd Quarter · 6:23
Jaylen Brown makes 24-foot three point jumper (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope assists)
2nd Quarter · 6:06
Mohamed Diawara makes finger roll layup (Mikal Bridges assists)
2nd Quarter · 5:24
Jordan Clarkson makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 5:09
Caleb Love makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jaylen Brown assists)
2nd Quarter · 4:43
Jordan Clarkson makes alley oop layup (Jalen Brunson assists)
2nd Quarter · 4:32
Caleb Love makes 2-foot two point shot (Rayan Rupert assists)
2nd Quarter · 4:16
Jordan Clarkson makes 2-foot layup (Mikal Bridges assists)
2nd Quarter · 3:36
Caleb Love makes 26-foot three point jumper (VJ Edgecombe assists)
2nd Quarter · 3:06
VJ Edgecombe makes driving layup (Caleb Love assists)
2nd Quarter · 3:06
VJ Edgecombe makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Quarter · 2:18
James Wiseman makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Jordan Clarkson assists)
2nd Quarter · 1:20
Jordan Clarkson makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Quarter · 1:06
Dillon Jones makes layup (VJ Edgecombe assists)
2nd Quarter · 33.0
Justin Edwards makes 24-foot three point jumper (Caleb Love assists)
2nd Quarter · 16.3
James Wiseman makes dunk
2nd Quarter · 0.7
Caleb Love makes 23-foot three point jumper (VJ Edgecombe assists)
3rd Quarter · 11:48
Tyler Kolek makes 25-foot three pointer (Miles McBride assists)
3rd Quarter · 11:17
Landry Shamet makes 2-foot two point shot
3rd Quarter · 11:02
Jabari Walker makes 26-foot three point jumper (Caleb Love assists)
3rd Quarter · 10:04
Landry Shamet makes 1-foot layup (Tyler Kolek assists)
3rd Quarter · 8:35
Mohamed Diawara makes two point shot
3rd Quarter · 8:27
Justin Edwards makes 27-foot three point jumper (Labaron Philon Jr. assists)
3rd Quarter · 8:05
Mohamed Diawara makes 2-foot two point shot (Tyler Kolek assists)
3rd Quarter · 7:10
Mohamed Diawara makes 2-foot two point shot (Tyler Kolek assists)
3rd Quarter · 6:26
Labaron Philon Jr. makes 1-foot two point shot
3rd Quarter · 6:18
Andre Drummond makes driving layup (Tyler Kolek assists)
3rd Quarter · 5:03
James Wiseman makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 4:52
Labaron Philon Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 4:52
Labaron Philon Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 4:24
James Wiseman makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 4:04
Jameer Nelson Jr. makes 2-foot layup (Labaron Philon Jr. assists)
3rd Quarter · 3:09
Saint Thomas makes tip shot
3rd Quarter · 1:44
Jameer Nelson Jr. makes driving layup (Saint Thomas assists)
3rd Quarter · 1:44
Jameer Nelson Jr. makes free throw 1 of 1
3rd Quarter · 53.6
James Wiseman makes 1-foot dunk
3rd Quarter · 36.8
Jameer Nelson Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 36.8
Jameer Nelson Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 23.5
Dillon Jones makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter · 23.5
Dillon Jones makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter · 3.8
Bruce Brown makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
4th Quarter · 10:36
Rayan Rupert makes 27-foot running pullup jump shot (Caleb Love assists)
4th Quarter · 10:10
Dillon Jones makes 12-foot driving floating jump shot (Caleb Love assists)
4th Quarter · 8:36
Ochai Agbaji makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter · 8:12
Saint Thomas makes two point shot
4th Quarter · 8:12
Saint Thomas makes free throw 1 of 1
4th Quarter · 7:58
Pacome Dadiet makes 21-foot jumper (Jaden Akins assists)
4th Quarter · 6:46
Drew Eubanks makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter · 6:23
Dillon Jones makes 27-foot three point jumper (Duke Miles assists)
4th Quarter · 5:39
Tony Bradley makes 1-foot running dunk (Jaden Akins assists)
4th Quarter · 5:03
Duke Miles makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter · 4:48
Pacome Dadiet makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jaden Akins assists)
4th Quarter · 4:22
Saint Thomas makes tip shot
4th Quarter · 4:03
Kevin McCullar Jr. makes 5-foot two point shot (Tyler Nickel assists)
4th Quarter · 3:45
Duke Miles makes 25-foot three pointer
4th Quarter · 3:13
Caleb Love makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter · 3:13
Caleb Love makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter · 2:58
Kevin McCullar Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter · 2:58
Kevin McCullar Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter · 2:45
Saint Thomas makes 2-foot layup (Dillon Jones assists)
4th Quarter · 1:56
Caleb Love makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter · 1:56
Caleb Love makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter · 1:36
Kevin McCullar Jr. makes layup
4th Quarter · 1:02
Saint Thomas makes 2-foot layup (Dillon Jones assists)

New York Knicks — Players

Player	MIN	PTS	FG	3PT	FT	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	OREB	DREB	PF	+/-
OG Anunoby	14	12	3-7	0-3	6-6	6	0	0	0	0	3	3	1	+1
Karl-Anthony Towns	15	5	2-4	1-3	0-0	5	2	2	0	0	0	5	2	-10
Josh Hart	13	2	1-1	0-0	0-0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	-7
Mikal Bridges	15	3	1-5	0-0	1-2	3	3	0	0	0	2	1	0	-8
Jalen Brunson	15	12	4-8	2-5	2-2	4	3	0	0	0	0	4	1	-10
Drew Eubanks	6	1	0-0	0-0	1-2	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	-7
Tyler Nickel	7	0	0-4	0-2	0-0	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	-6
Pacome Dadiet	17	5	2-6	1-2	0-0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	-19
Mohamed Diawara	17	8	4-8	0-3	0-0	5	0	2	1	1	1	4	1	-7
Andre Drummond	12	6	2-5	0-1	2-5	5	1	0	0	3	1	4	3	+9
Tony Bradley	5	2	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-3
James Wiseman	9	8	3-4	0-0	2-6	5	0	1	0	1	2	3	2	-13
Jordan Clarkson	14	6	2-8	0-2	2-4	4	1	2	0	0	3	1	1	-19
Landry Shamet	11	10	4-8	2-5	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+7
Bruce Brown	10	2	1-3	0-1	0-0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	4	-14
Ochai Agbaji	8	1	0-3	0-3	1-2	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	-11
Kevin McCullar Jr.	9	6	2-5	0-3	2-2	4	0	2	0	1	1	3	1	-7
Miles McBride	12	0	0-4	0-4	0-0	1	3	0	0	0	0	1	1	+7
Tyler Kolek	17	5	2-5	1-3	0-1	2	5	0	0	1	1	1	0	+3
Jaden Akins	7	0	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	2	-6

Philadelphia 76ers — Players

Player	MIN	PTS	FG	3PT	FT	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	OREB	DREB	PF	+/-
Dean Wade	13	2	1-3	0-2	0-0	5	0	0	1	0	1	4	2	+6
Ariel Hukporti	5	0	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	-2
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	13	7	3-6	1-2	0-0	2	2	0	1	0	0	2	1	+3
Jaylen Brown	17	22	8-13	3-5	3-5	2	2	0	0	1	1	1	2	+7
VJ Edgecombe	20	12	4-9	0-3	4-5	4	7	0	0	0	0	4	1	+12
Jabari Walker	19	11	4-9	3-5	0-0	11	1	1	1	1	2	9	3	+3
Dillon Jones	17	9	3-6	1-2	2-2	6	2	1	0	0	2	4	3	+22
Justin Edwards	24	6	2-5	2-5	0-0	1	1	2	1	1	0	1	1	0
Saint Thomas	14	11	5-8	0-2	1-1	10	1	1	1	0	3	7	4	+18
Caleb Love	23	15	4-10	3-6	4-6	3	6	0	0	2	0	3	0	+19
Jameer Nelson Jr.	14	7	2-5	0-1	3-3	2	0	2	1	2	1	1	3	+16
Duke Miles	8	4	1-5	1-3	1-2	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	+6
Labaron Philon Jr.	25	6	2-9	0-4	2-2	2	4	0	0	0	0	2	1	-2
Rayan Rupert	25	6	2-8	2-5	0-0	4	1	1	0	0	0	4	4	+12

New York Knicks — Team statistics

FG	34-90
Field Goal %	38
3PT	7-40
Three Point %	17
FT	19-32
Free Throw %	59
Rebounds	51
Offensive Rebounds	15
Defensive Rebounds	36
Assists	22
Steals	1
Blocks	8
Turnovers	13
Team Turnovers	0
Total Turnovers	13
Technical Fouls	0
Total Technical Fouls	0
Flagrant Fouls	0
Points Conceded Off Turnovers	16
Fast Break Points	12
Points in Paint	46
Fouls	26
Largest Lead	5
Lead Changes	11
Percent Led	11

Philadelphia 76ers — Team statistics

FG	41-97
Field Goal %	42
3PT	16-46
Three Point %	35
FT	20-26
Free Throw %	77
Rebounds	53
Offensive Rebounds	10
Defensive Rebounds	43
Assists	29
Steals	6
Blocks	7
Turnovers	8
Team Turnovers	1
Total Turnovers	9
Technical Fouls	0
Total Technical Fouls	0
Flagrant Fouls	0
Points Conceded Off Turnovers	7
Fast Break Points	15
Points in Paint	44
Fouls	25
Largest Lead	24
Lead Changes	11
Percent Led	80