Sixers push Knicks to OT, but Jalen Brunson's 38 points too much to overcome in 125-119 loss

Keith Pompey, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jan 15, 2025

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PHILADELPHIA — Nick Nurse remains confident that the 76ers can still turn the season around.

“Our numbers of games with guys healthy are still very, very low,” the coach said before the Sixers faced the New York Knicks. “And I’m not keeping track as much as you guys are, but it’s still less than 10.”

Wednesday’s 125-119 overtime loss to the Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center was the Sixers’ 39th game of the season. There’s 43 games remaining in the regular season.

“So that’s a lot of basketball,” the coach said.

The Knicks (27-15) scored the first eight points of the overtime en route to outscoring the Sixers, 16-10, in the extra session. Former Villanova standout Jalen Brunson scored eight of his game-high 38 points in overtime.

The Sixers (15-25) are losers of four straight and have dropped seven of their last nine games.

“We’re just going to have to get a little bit healthier,” Nurse said. “And I remain optimistic that we will. And when we are, I like the way things trend at times.

“But it is tough when you are missing not only your main guys, but another four or five guys to move and fill in. All that kind of stuff puts a little stress on everyone in the organization.”

On this night, the Sixers were without six players, including Joel Embiid.

The 2023 NBA MVP missed his fifth consecutive game with a sprained left foot. However, the Sixers welcomed back Paul George (right ankle soreness) and Tyrese Maxey (sprained left hand) after they missed Tuesday’s home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Part of Nurse’s confidence is the success Embiid, Maxey and George have had in the few games they’ve all played together.

But the trio have only played 10 games together. The team is 7-3 in those contests, and 6-1 in games they have all completed.

George left the Nov. 20 loss to Memphis Grizzlies with the hyperextended left knee. Embiid suffered a game-ending right sinus fracture in a setback to the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 13. And the 2023 NBA MVP was ejected in their Dec. 23 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Against the Knicks, Maxey overcame a rough shooting night to finish with 33 points, six rebounds and six assists. George finished with 26 points to go with three rebounds and six assists. However, George only scored three points between the fourth quarter and overtime session.

Kelly Oubre Jr. (16 points, 10 rebounds), Eric Gordon (14 points) and Justin Edwards (10 points) were the Sixers’ other double-digit scorers.

Mikal Bridges, another former Nova standout, added 23 points.

The Sixers battled back from a 16-point deficit to knot the score at 85 points on Jeff Dowtin Jr.’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter.

The teams played through four more ties before heading to overtime.

While the Sixers fought hard, this wasn’t the version of the squad their fans had hope to see on the court. They wanted to see Embiid on the floor with Maxey and George against the rival Knicks.

In addition to Embiid, Andre Drummond (sprained left toe), Kyle Lowry (sprained right hip), Caleb Martin (right groin soreness), KJ Martin (left foot stress reaction) and Jared McCain (left knee surgery) also missed Wednesday’s game. McCain hasn’t played since Dec. 13 and was ruled out for the remainder of the season last week.

The Knicks were without All-Star center and diehard Eagles fan Karl-Anthony Towns (sprained right thumb). The New Jersey native arrived at the arena in an Eagles sweater and wore it on the bench.

Up next

The Sixers will begin a three-game road trip on Saturday against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Pacers (22-19) split the first two series meetings with the Sixers.