The same Knicks problems reappear in disappointing NBA Cup opener loss to 76ers

Knicks

PHILADELPHIA — A night before Halloween, the Knicks couldn’t mask their problems. 

They fell into another big deficit. They failed to recover. They’re still playing tired and clearly recovering their conditioning after a short and celebratory summer. 

“We all feel the fatigue,” Josh Hart acknowledged. “So we’ve got to fight through it. Six games in, we have to find a way to make sure we get our bodies ready to play every day. I think mentally we’re there. We just gotta find it physically.” 

There was a preseason belief the Knicks would steamroll at the start of their championship defense, utilizing their advantage of continuity and chemistry. 

Instead, they’re 2-4 with a couple of defeats to the rival Sixers, who owned crunch time Friday night before leaving Xfinity Mobile Arena with a 98-93 win in the opener of their NBA Cup title defense. 

Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks handles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during an NBA Cup game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

The Knicks trailed by as many as 14 but still had a chance in the final moments. That was when LeBron James took over and Jalen Brunson fell short for the second time against the Sixers. 

The Knicks point guard, who was coming off a 38-point masterpiece two nights prior in Chicago, shot 1-for-5 in the final six-plus minutes. He also missed a critical free throw with 32 seconds remaining, setting up an alley-oop from Tyrese Maxey to James to seal Philadelphia’s victory. 

Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after scoring against the New York Knicks on Oct. 30, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectTyrese Maxey, right, of the Philadelphia 76ers drives against Tyler Kolek of the New York Knicks during an NBA game in Philadelphia, Oct. 30, 2026. Getty Images

James was the hero with 20 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and the two biggest plays on the night. In addition to the alley-oop lay-in, James knocked down a fadeaway over OG Anunoby with 1:10 left to give Philly the lead for good. 

He was aided by Maxey, who dropped a game-high 27 points in 38 minutes while Jaylen Brown (knee soreness) was in street clothes. 

“[LeBron’s] a great player, and when you have a great player out there, with his ability, he’s gonna make plays, and he made big plays down the stretch,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “It’s the NBA, and it’s not surprising when a guy like Maxey or LeBron or Jalen makes a big play. 

“You just hope that it doesn’t come down to that all the time.” 

Brunson shot 8-for-22 with 24 points and six assists. Karl-Anthony Towns represented New York’s most productive option, scoring 22 points with 12 rebounds on 8-for-12 shooting from the field. 

Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks is guarded by LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers in Philadelphia on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

But the offense overall was “stagnant,” Hart said, and sloppy with 13 turnovers. 

“We gotta find a way to execute better,” said Hart, who finished with seven points on 2-for-9 shooting in 30 minutes. “And do that continuously.” 

The Knicks started slowly and inefficiently, managing just 21 points in the first quarter while shooting 41 percent with zero free throws. 

They trailed by double digits after 10 minutes. 

The second quarter wasn’t much better and the final play of the half encapsulated the offensive malaise: The Knicks failed to get off a shot in a 22-second possession, allowing the buzzer to go off with the ball in Brunson’s hands. 

New York Knicks’ Josh Hart sits on the court as Karl-Anthony Towns, center, and Jalen Brunson, right, help him up, Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. AP Photo/Chris Szagola

They hit the break with a 53-44 deficit and just four free-throw attempts. But then Brunson was activated in the third quarter, Towns went hot in the beginning of the fourth and the Knicks were down by only five points with six minutes remaining. 

It was set up for a comeback. But the Knicks and their tired legs couldn’t make it happen. 

“It’s a new year,” Hart said. “I think we’re trying to work our way into the season. But I think the flow’s tougher. Sometimes the ball is stagnant, I think that’s a little bit from fatigue and not a mental thing. You know what the other team is doing, and physically you’re trying to get your body to get to that point. 

So I think that that’s part of it. We got to be more deliberate with cuts and movements. And taking care of the ball.” 

The defeat means the Knicks will likely need to win the remaining three NBA Cup group games to advance.