The Philadelphia 76ers hosted the New York Knicks on Wednesday, November 13 for the first In-Season tournament game of the year. However, despite the much-awaited season debut of Joel Embiid was met with disappointment after the Sixers struggled to take the home win over the Knicks.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Knicks went ballistic and went on a 13-2 run. Eventually, New York got away with the dub as they claimed their first NBA Cup victory, 111-99.
All five Knicks starters scored double-digits. OG Anunoby took charge with 24 points and 6 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points, 6 assists, and 13 rebounds. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges also chipped in with 18 and 14, respectively. Josh Hart, one of the league’s best rebounding guards last season, was also stellar, recording a triple-double with 14 points, 10 assists, and 12 rebounds.
On the other hand, Paul George recorded a season-high 29 points and 10 rebounds. Rookie Jaren McCain gave another impressive output after going for 23 points including 4 triples.
Embiid’s Lackluster Performance Made Fans Frustrated
The 2023 MVP was rusty, to say the least, in his return to the NBA hardwood after missing the first 9 games. In his first game back, Embiid only got 13 points and 3 rebounds in 26 minutes of play. He looked like he was lost in the field and was sometimes looking like he hadn’t found his touch yet. It was also clear he was getting outclassed by Towns in the paint, which made fans even more infuriated. He was even getting called out on the internet.
However, Embiid did make up for it by setting screens for his teammates, like McCain. He was also making some good passes during the transition. But, this isn’t the dominant Joel Embiid everyone remembers.
Hopefully, he finds his footing again and eventually raises the Sixers from the dead.
The Philadelphia Sixers will face the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, November 14.
