New York Knicks Mix: Trounced by Clippers
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The New York Knicks welcomed the Philadelphia 76ers into the Garden for the third installment of their tri-state rivalry. Philly handed the struggling Knickerbockers their ninth straight loss.

  • New York Knicks 110 (24-45)
  • Philadelphia 76ers 118 (37-30)
  • NBA, Final, Box Score
  • Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

Describing a New York Knicks loss is just like going to the dentist. There’s an initial hope that he/she will find nothing wrong with your pearly whites. Yet once that dream dies, you become numb to the pain and the eerie sounds of continuous drilling, and you end up just dealing with it.

This was certainly the case tonight. Despite a tough and well-fought battle, the Knicks couldn’t hang with the original “Trust the Process”.

Although losses are widely considered a good thing for this lottery bound team, any good basketball being played by the orange and blue gives a fan hope that the future is bright.

Part of this future just might include Trey Burke. Burke was an absolute stud in the first half. He shot 75 percent from the field and scored 13 points. His step back was lethal and he proved adept at leading some nice fast break finishes.

While there were pockets of nice ball movement from the Knicks, it seemed like most of their points came off isolation from either Burke or Michael Beasley. Beasley led the Knicks with 15 points at the half as they led the 76ers 68-60 at the break.

However, despite the offense, the defense still continues to be a consistent issue. There was literally NO answer for Joel Embiid. He had his way with all of the Knicks big men, including  Enes Kanter, who had three fouls in the first quarter alone trying to guard the former Kansas standout.

Embiid had 19 points at the half, and his teammate Ben Simmons added nine points. But Simmons, true to form, did so much more than just score, as he also contributed five assists and four rebounds, eventually finishing the game with a triple-double.

In the second half, the Knicks improved their ball movement and extended their lead to double digits, thus avoiding the third quarter of doom. Yet, despite the away team being down, this didn’t stop some of the Philly fans from starting an impromptu “E-A-G-L-E-S” chant during the end of the quarter.

The fourth quarter began with a torrid pace from both teams. Ersan Ilyasova drilled several big three-pointers, as the 76ers closed the gap to single digits.

The Knicks for their part kept up the offense but continued to trade buckets with the 76ers. Beasley, who has come under recent criticism for his defense, left Dario Saric wide open for three. Saric hit the shot leaving the Knicks up by one with less than four minutes in the game.

Another blown defensive coverage led to an open J.J. Reddick three which completely shifted the momentum in the 76ers’ favor, thus putting the nail in the coffin for the Knicks.

Embiid finished with a game-high 29 points. For the Knicks, Beasley scored 24 points in a losing effort.

The Knicks stay in New York as they face the Charlotte Hornets this Saturday.

 

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