Thanks to a one-sided last quarter, the 76ers continue against the Knicks

Third loss in a row KnicksAfter an eight-game winning streak, he lost 76ers (119-112) at Madison Square Garden for this first game of a Christmas marathon.

Teammates are super Julius Randle (35 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals) led at the end of the third quarter (96-95), and made the difference in the fourth part largely with the advantage of the guests (24-16). sudden heat stroke George Niangauthor of four award-winning shots in this final act alone.

Couple Joel Embiid – James Harden was clearly the 76ers’ main strength on offense, with two All-Stars seriously stepping up as they returned from the locker room.

It’s the eighth straight win for the 76ers, who are just two wins behind the third-place Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. A bitter loss for the Knicks as their performance was respectable for most of the game. But in the final half, Tom Thibodeau’s men got the better of them.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– The decisive “run” of the 76ers in the last quarter. After a very tight third quarter in which the 76ers won 35-33, we felt that impulse started to swing in their favor as the final quarter began. Indeed, with the Knicks leading by just one point after 36 minutes, Doc Rivers’ men hit hard to start that final drive, outscoring the residents of “MSG” 19-4! Fatal for the Knicks, who then lost impulse on both sides of the field.

– James Harden’s account, hours after the rumors. Earlier in the day, ESPN announced that James Harden intends to return to Houston for the 2023 season. Win: 29 points, 13 assists and 4 rebounds. His third quarter was particularly impressive, as was “money time,” during which he spawned a few for George Niang to put the Knicks down once and for all.

TOPS & FLOPS

✅ Joel Embiid. The Cameroonian pivot scored the best individual performance of the meeting with 35 points (15 in the third quarter) and 8 rebounds. As usual, he caused carnage in the paint, scoring 22 of his 35 points there. When he couldn’t score, he increased his total at the free throw line (10-of-15 in this practice), as the Knicks had all the trouble in the world to contain him (3 fouls for Mitchell Robinson, 4 for Jericho Sims).

✅ De’Anthony Melton. Coming off a career-best season, Philly’s tailback offered solutions for two All-Star teammates by planting five game-winning throws (on seven attempts), filling in for the injured Tyrese Maxey for several weeks. A perfect “role player” matchup for one of the most impactful players in the entire league this past offseason.

✅ Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson. All that was missing was a victory on December 25 to make it perfect for the Knicks’ powerful winger, who authored a very high-level “all-round” match that reminded us that the 2020/21 season was great. The New York leader rebounded very well after two average outings against the Raptors and Bulls with 23 points and 11 assists for one turnover.

⛔️ The Knicks bench. Except for Immanuel Quickley, who brought 11 points from the bench, the substitutes of the Knicks did not inspire much, the trio of Miles McBride – Isaiah Hartenstein – Jericho Sims scored only 6 small points. The 76ers could count on 26 points from the bench. This is partly where the difference comes in.

NEXT

– Knicks (18-16): Visit Dallas, Tuesday night (2:30 p.m.)

– 76ers (20-12): Trip to Washington, Tuesday to Tuesday night (01:00)