What is the story about?
I’m all for being checked out of work the last day before a vacation, but good lord.
The shorthanded Sixers limped into the All-Star break, being blown out 138-89 by the New York Knicks Wednesday night. They go into the break 30-24, just game up in the loss column on the Orlando Magic for the six-seed in the Eastern Conference
Tyrese Maxey once again led all scorers with 32, but again the only stat that really mattered was the 32:07 minutes played. VJ Edgecombe had his most aggressive game in a few
outings, but still ended up with a 16 point shooting 6-of-16 from the floor.
Dominick Barlow was the only other Sixer to reach double figures with 13 while Jose Alvarado led the Knicks with 23.
The Sixers were without Joel Embiid and Quentin Grimes for the second straight game while the Knicks were without OG Anunoby and Miles McBride.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
- Knicks fans have had the reputation for taking this building over and by the eye test, it looked like this was the most blue and orange compared to Sixers fans at the start of the game in recent memory. They had plenty to cheer about early with the Knicks making seven of their first eight shots, running out to a double-digit lead. On top of having their own building taken over again, the Sixers very much had “mentally already on vacation” energy getting beat on back cut after back cut.
- A timeout did help the Sixers in the sense that they were able to truly get their first stop of the game — of course the Knicks grabbed the offensive rebound on their first miss of the night. Despite starting a more mobile big in Adem Bona, the Sixers still struggled chasing Karl-Anthony Towns around as he and Mikal Bridges beat them to death inside. On the other end it again looked like the Sixers didn’t have a hope of keeping up. Maxey got to the rim frequently and opened the game up 4-of-7, yet he was the only Sixer to make more than one field goal for the entire quarter.
- Some fight was showed — almost literally — when Trendon Watford committed a hard foul on Mitchell Robinson causing a lot of shoving and a tedious review that resulted in double techs on Alvarado and Nick Nurse. Maxey’s flurry briefly got the lead to single digits, but the Knicks quickly responded to go back up by 13.
Second Quarter
- Edgecombe finally became the second Sixer to make more than one field goal. This was his most aggressive start in quite a few games. He wasn’t that efficient but he got a couple turnaround jumpers to fall as well as a floater. That was about the only positive as the Knicks kept steamrolling. On top of the flat out talent disadvantage, the Sixers made some really silly mistakes. Andre Drummond threw two outlet passes right into the Knicks’ lap while Bona became the second Sixer this season to step out of bounds accidentally before inbounding the ball.
- Opinions on Charles Bassey may vary, but the Sixers’ interior defense was so poor in the first half giving him a try could not have made things any worse. Drummond has looked fairly immobile for months now, so much so that having him chase around Towns felt mean. Bona was too small to get a hand in his face or keep him off the glass, and is definitely too short to deter Robinson.
- Flirting with a 30-point deficit, the Sixers finally opened up their rotation to nine guys when MarJon Beauchamp checked in. Not only was he way too long on his first three, but in trying to save a loose ball threw it right back to Bridges for another easy Knicks basket. He would have just a 2:45 minute long shift. The Knicks did reach a 30-point lead at the break, continuing to gash the Sixers with Bridges cuts and offensive rebounds.
Third Quarter
- Despite coming out in a full-court press, the Sixers weren’t able to reverse any fortunes coming out of the half. They put their traps and double-teams into overdrive, but the Knicks calmly passed around them, kicking to open shooter after open shooter.
- Three-point percentage and volume were going to be problems for this team after the Paul George suspension, even more so after two more shooters were dumped at the deadline. Through three quarters, Barlow was the only other Sixer to make a three other than Maxey. Especially on nights Embiid can’t play, this roster can’t do anything to overcome that math problem.
- Bassey finally got his crack at things, checking in as opposed to Drummond late in the quarter. Not that he changed the complexion of the game, but he did look more physically up to the task. Maxey continued to chuck up whatever he wanted and actually had a decent individual quarter putting up 13. Of course he was hobbling around after a fall late in the quarter, but still played the whole quarter because why wouldn’t he? For once the Sixers didn’t get smoked in the third, as they ended this one trailing by 33.
Fourth Quarter
- Mercifully, Maxey was finally out of the game and done for the night and Edgecombe’s night was done a few minutes later. The Sixers’ depth is a big issue, and the only calvary coming is when they convert Jabari Walker while staying under the luxury tax in the next couple of weeks.
- As if Alvarado already wasn’t going to be a Knicks fan favorite, raining down threes to storm ahead as the team’s leading scorer while fans chanted “Jose, Jose Jose Jose!” in an opposing building sure will do it. He came up with backcourt steal and after backcourt steal as the arena began to roar, culminating the night of embarrassment for the Sixers.
