LeBron James scored 20 points and hit the go-ahead fadeaway late as the 76ers beat the Knicks 98-93 in an NBA Cup group game on Friday night, per the Associated Press. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 27 points. ESPN reported that coach Nick Nurse called it James' best game as a Sixer, and Yahoo Sports ran the same line in its recap.
In our box score, James shot 8-of-15 and added 9 rebounds and 8 assists in 34 minutes. That is more efficient than his season average of 42.6% from the field through four games. Maxey was 10-of-19 with three threes, and he is shooting 46.2% this season. Anfernee Simons was the bench spark Yahoo described, with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 5-of-8 from three in 31 minutes.
Yahoo credited the Sixers' defense, calling it sensational, and the numbers support that in part. New York shot 41% from the field and 32% from three. Philadelphia led by as many as 14 and led for 97% of the game, according to the box score. Even so, the Knicks scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to Philadelphia's 21. Yahoo's headline mentions a late rally, and a Sixers quote in its recap said, "Unfortunately it took us too long to show up tonight." The feed summary doesn't say who said it.
The Knicks beat themselves on the boards: they had 14 offensive rebounds to Philadelphia's 5 and won the rebounding total 45-39. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson scored 24 on 8-of-22 shooting. Joel Embiid had a quiet night for his team, with 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting but 7 assists. Liberty Ballers' Bell Ringer column, which named James its winner, had Maxey leading its standings at 2.5 points, ahead of Embiid and Simons at 1 each.
Philadelphia is 5-1 and first in the Atlantic, with two straight wins after a 114-109 victory at Indiana on Wednesday. Liberty Ballers noted the Sixers also won the first meeting on opening night at Madison Square Garden, which makes it two wins over the reigning champions this season. New York is 2-3 and fourth in the division after the loss.
The Sixers have little time to enjoy it. They play at Charlotte on Saturday, Oct. 31, and host Chicago on Monday, Nov. 2. The Knicks host Brooklyn that same Monday.
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