Despite a catastrophic start to the game, the Knicks overthrow the Sixers at Madison Square Garden! Victory 108-97 with a very good Evan Fournier off the bench.
For the home score box of this match, follow the magic link.
What a fun game this is! A very funny scenario and above all some lessons to remember. The first ? Never bury the Knicks, even when they can’t tie their shoelaces like in the first quarter. The New Yorkers are sleeping, the Sixers are hitting hard, it’s almost too violent for our eyes. Fortunately, Julius Randle takes out the work to save the furniture a little and there we quickly arrive at our second lesson of the day: a bench that ensures, that changes everything.
Good news for New York, the second unit was very valuable last night. With the combativeness of an Isaiah Hartenstein, the contribution from both sides of the field of Miles McBride and an Evan Fournier in renaissance mode. Placardized for many weeks already, the French took advantage of RJ Barrett’s last minute package to recover minutes and he made the most of them!
17 points in 24 minutes, a nice 5/8 from distance and a differential of +28 when going out for six faults, to the applause of a conquered Madison Square Garden. It must be said that Vavane was in all the right moves, essential during the big comeback of his team at the start of the match and also decisive in the money time to launch the Knicks in the last corner. A real good match for the native of Charenton, who proves to his coach that he can be important three days before the Trade Deadline.
On the Sixers side, on the other hand, it’s a refrain that has been repeated for a while now, but the reliability of Doc Rivers’ bench is a real problem. Last night, the slightest passage of James Harden and Joel Embiid on the bench was sanctioned by New York. When the cat leaves, the mice dance and the Knicks players danced well against the Philly substitutes. Only 16 points scored, differentials ranging from -14 to -26, no need to look far to find the Achilles heel of the Sixers this night, even if the money time of the band in Joel Embiid was not “Jojo”, far from it.
With Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle taking turns to finish the business, New York signs a very nice victory. Not only did they defeat one of the hottest teams around, going back-to-back, but they held Philly to 97 points. You have to go back to December 1 and a thrashing in Cleveland to see the Sixers (sixth attack in the League) under 100 points.
Beaten on the wire yesterday against the Clippers, the Knicks are moving forward against the Sixers thanks to leaders who provide and an Evan Fournier who shows up. The kind of sentence that is fun to start the week.
