The vacation cheer went to the guests.
The Knicks have been outclassed and overrun at MSG by the Sixers of their Christmas matinee, taking part in the ultimate quarter as if bloated by eggnog.
The Sixers, one of many league’s hottest groups, flaunted their two stars — Joel Embiid and James Harden — because the Knicks’ offense went colder than this weekend’s windchill of their 119-112 defeat.
In the midst of the Sixers’ 21-4 run within the second half, Embiid stood on the courtroom and gestured on the crowd together with his large arms, inviting the vocal Sixers followers in attendance to cheer their assured victory.
The fanbase that after pelted Santa Claus with snowballs at an Eagles sport acquired to get pleasure from X-Mas.
The Knicks (18-16) have misplaced three straight — all at dwelling — which is dampening their eight-game successful streak from earlier this month. They have been stable Sunday till the fourth quarter, when the Sixers (20-12) took their first lead of the sport with about 10 minutes remaining and by no means regarded again.
Embiid frequented the foul line and dropped 35 factors in 34 minutes. Harden added 29 factors with 13 assists and 4 steals in 43 minutes. The Sixers gained their eighth straight.
Julius Randle was on tempo for a historic sport with 25 factors within the first half, however solely mustered 4 within the fourth quarter and completed with 35.
The Knicks had a successful components within the first quarter — once they held a 37-25 lead — displaying exceptional effectivity and ball motion with 11 assists and 0 turnovers. They additionally dominated on the boards wit the assistance of Mitchell Robinson. But momentum shifted within the second quarter, when Embiid started attending to the road and Sixers guard Shake Milton buried a buzzer-beating halfcourt heave to finish the half.
Then the Knicks managed simply 16 factors within the fourth quarter.
“I thought the big thing was we fouled too much,” coach Tom Thibodeau instructed reporters after the sport.
Despite the Knicks’ ugly document during the last 23 years, their look on Christmas is an NBA custom rooted within the franchise’s lengthy historical past and placement. They’ve performed on the vacation a league-record 55 instances, with 13 towards the Sixers.
And after Sunday, the Knicks are 23-32 on Christmas with only one victory of their final eight video games.
BRUNSON BANGED UP
After recording 23 factors with 11 assists, Jalen Brunson left within the fourth quarter for the locker room with an obvious hip harm.
Thibodeau supplied no replace after the sport.
“He’s getting looked at right now,” Thibodeau mentioned.
Brunson, Randle and RJ Barrett haven’t missed a sport all season.
MELO BACK AT MSG
Eleven years after he dropped 37 factors for the Knicks on Christmas, Carmelo Anthony’s visitor look at MSG prompted one of many largest crowd pops of the day. The surefire Hall of Famer stays unsigned — although not formally retired — after taking part in final season with the Lakers.
The 38-year-old is ninth on the NBA’s all-time scoring listing and solely 307 factors behind No. 8 Shaquille O’Neal. His former agent, Leon Rose, now runs the Knicks entrance workplace.
On Sunday, Anthony sat within the entrance row subsequent to Bernard King, who scored 60 factors for the Knicks on Christmas of 1984.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com