76ers top Knicks for sixth consecutive win
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MARCH 03: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers speaks with Tobias Harris #12 and Ben Simmons #25 during the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at Wells Fargo Center on March 03, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Tobias Harris scored 30 points and the host Philadelphia 76ers rallied past the New York Knicks 99-96 on Tuesday.
Seth Curry added 20 and Ben Simmons contributed 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Sixers, who earned a season-best sixth win in a row.
Philadelphia’s Furkan Korkmaz scored 12 points and Dwight Howard had 11 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
The Sixers continued to play without injured All-Star Joel Embiid, who is recovering from a bone bruise on his left knee.
🔔 @tobias31 goes for 30 PTS and comes up clutch late in the @sixers' 6th straight win! #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/bJNL0a1OCe
— NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2021
The Knicks’ Julius Randle compiled 19 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. Alec Burks added 19 points and RJ Barrett had 17.
Down by nine points to start the fourth quarter, the Sixers went ahead 90-89 with 5:03 remaining after Curry dropped in a deep trey from the wing.
Harris’ driving layup with 2:26 left put the Sixers ahead 94-92.
After an empty Knicks possession, Harris hit a short turnaround jumper in the lane for a 96-92 advantage.
Barrett’s dunk with 1:11 left pulled the Knicks within 96-94. Barrett had a chance to tie the game in the final 30 seconds but he missed a short shot.
The Knicks had only three field goals over the final 9 1/2 minutes, and the 76ers closed out the victory at the foul line.
When New York’s Nerlens Noel grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with 5:34 remaining in the second quarter, the Knicks pulled out to a 39-33 lead.
After the Sixers tied the game at 41, the Knicks reeled off a 7-0 run, and they led 56-48 at halftime.
Randle put up 13 points before the break. Harris kept the Sixers close with 13, hitting all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Philadelphia shot only 40 percent from the field in the first half compared to New York’s 52.5 percent.
For the night, the Sixers made 41.1 percent of their field-goal attempts and the Knicks sank 44 percent.
The game became chippy throughout the third quarter, as numerous fouls called on both teams. The Knicks led 78-71 with 3:05 to go after Taj Gibson scored in the lane.
Korkmaz knocked down a pair of jumpers to open the fourth as the Sixers closed within five.
Barrett quickly scored for the Knicks, but Philadelphia’s Matisse Thybulle then dropped in a 3-pointer and the deficit was 84-80.
