After the New York Knicks posted the most lopsided victory in franchise history, they are looking for something seemingly just as elusive lately: a winning streak.
The Knicks, who have lost nine of their past 12 games, face the 76ers on Saturday in Philadelphia.
New York has yet to experience a winning streak in 2026. They did win three games in a row near the end of December.
As has been the case the past few years, the Brooklyn Nets cured all the Knicks’ ails on Wednesday. Jalen Brunson had 20 points, Karl-Anthony Towns added 14 points and eight rebounds, and Josh Hart contributed 11 points and nine rebounds as New York defeated Brooklyn, 120-66. New York’s previous largest margin of victory was 48.
“It’s fun, because obviously everyone gets involved, everyone obviously scores, but defensively everyone brings it,” Hart said. “We have a game like this, it’s always good. Hopefully, it’s a get-right game for us. We just have to continue to build off it.”
It was New York’s 13th consecutive victory over the Nets. Landry Shamet, who went 6-for-6 on 3-pointers, added 18 points ff the bench. The Knicks’ 59 bench points almost surpassed Brooklyn’s cumulative output.
“Just seeing us play the way we’re capable of playing,” New York head coach Mike Brown said. “I don’t know what the score will be every night, but the things that we did out on the floor, we talked about, we drilled, we watched film on, and our guys are more than capable.”
The Sixers, who are 5-5 in their past 10 games, defeated visiting Houston 128-122 in overtime on Thursday.
Tyrese Maxey had 36 points and added 10 assists against the Rockets. Joel Embiid posted his ninth career triple-double, and first of the season, with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Coach Nick Nurse inserted Kelly Oubre Jr. back into the starting lineup against the Rockets. Oubre responded by shooting 10-for-14 from the field and totaling 26 points. Paul George returned after missing two games and chipped in with 10 points.
The victory improved Philadelphia’s record to 2-3 on this season-long six-game homestand.
Embiid’s output, along those of Oubre and George, is vital as Nurse looks for ways to rest Maxey as much as possible down the stretch.
“He’s doing a lot of work, and he’s carried a big load, and he’s had a lot of games where he’s kind of out there on his own, without Paul (George) and Joel (Embiid). He’s handled that really great,” Nurse said recently.
Philadelphia won the first two games in the season series with New York, taking two from the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Maxey averaged 33 points in the two victories.
–Field Level Media
