Philadelphia 76ers: 3 takeaways from narrow victory over New York Knicks

1 of 4

(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Philadelphia 76ers almost blew a 24-point lead on the road in New York. Here’s what we learned.

In Sunday’s win over New York, the Philadelphia 76ers led by as many as 24 points in the first half. It was beginning to look and feel like a blowout, as the Knicks simply lacked the talent to compete in an injury-riddled rotation.

The Sixers, however, were unable to maintain their lead. When the third quarter ended, the 16-point halftime lead had dwindled to just one. The Knicks had a very real chance to win the game, almost sending it to overtime with a last-second heave. It took way too much energy for the Sixers to close things out.

Against the Knicks, arguably the worst team in the NBA, the Sixers should easily win. It wasn’t an isolated incident either — it came on the heels of a loss to the Atlanta Hawks at home. The Sixers continue to play down to their competition, a worrying trend for a team expected to contend in the Eastern Conference.

Even with a less-than-ideal ending, there were numerous positives as well. Ben Simmons dropped 20 points, 22 rebounds and nine assists, becoming the first NBA player to drop those numbers since Charles Barkley in 1987. Some people want to trade him.

Joel Embiid was his productive as well, leading the team with 26 points while blocking six shots on the other end.

Here are some takeaways from the game.