Tom Thibodeau understood the stakes, which were on the whole small – it was a game – but significant.
“Our players appreciate playing on this day,” said the Knicks coach on Christmas morning. “You know everyone’s watching.”
Everyone watched as the Knicks started hot and ended as cool as this December weather. The Knicks, who had eight straight wins, have followed the streak by losing three straight games in a holiday matinee in a 119-112 loss to the 76ers ahead of 19,812 at the Garden after collapsing in the fourth quarter on Sunday.
The Knicks (18-16) couldn’t cool down the red-hot 76ers (20-12), who have won eight straight games. The Knicks looked like the better team for much of the game, but Joel Embiid woke up late in the first half and benched several Knicks defensemen in terrible trouble.
The Knicks ran out of defensemen to disrupt Embiid, who was limited early (three of his first nine from the field) but excelled when he put Mitchell Robinson in foul trouble late in the second quarter. Embiid scored 19 of his 35 points in the second half, shooting 8 of 12.
76ers center Joel Embiid takes a shot at Knicks center Mitchell Robinson on Dec. 25, 2022. NBAE via Getty Images
The 76ers never led until Georges Niang followed a James Harden 3-pointer with a 3 of his own at 10:37 of the fourth, giving the 76ers a 101-98 advantage they wouldn’t give back. Philadelphia opened the fourth period on a 13-4 run when the 76ers simply met their open eyes and the Knicks missed theirs against a 2-3 zone.
“They had a couple of 3s. They ran a bit,” said RJ Barrett, who finished with 17 points but 6 of 21 shooting. “We haven’t done well enough going back to the shooters or just turning them on. … We adapted too late.”
Once the 76ers had the lead, they were in control. They outplayed the Knicks 24-16 in the fourth as the Knicks shot 7 of 23 off the floor. Philadelphia got four 3s from Niang, who scored 12 of his 16 points in the period to knock out the Knicks.
The Knicks, who had led 14 points in the first quarter, were 14 behind after Embiid missed a shot in the fourth at 4:48, prompting a timeout from Thibodeau.
“I thought we missed some really good shots,” Thiobdeau said of the fourth quarter as the Knicks went 1-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Knicks guard RJ Barrett is defended by 76ers forward Tobias Harris in the first half December 25, 2022.Noah K. Murray
Jalen Brunson played just 3 1/2 minutes of the fourth before holding the game on a hip. The Knicks declined to make the point guard available after the game and declined to reveal exactly what he was missing.
The Knicks passed the 76ers (54-40), had more assists (30-22) and 13 more second chance points. But Philadelphia had Embiid and the touch from deep, shooting 18 of 39 from beyond the arc. The Knicks shot 12 of 32 from deep.
They gave away an excellent offensive performance from Julius Randle (35 points from 24 shots), who could be a power in the color or score from distance. Before leaving the game, Brunson could routinely find the right shot en route to 23 points and 11 assists.
Julius Randle led the Knicks with 35 points in their December 25, 2022 loss to the 76ers Noah K. Murray
The Knicks built a quick 14-point lead in the first quarter when Robinson was a defensive enforcer against Embiid, who made two of his first six shots and was down 14 points during that period.
Robinson led 50-40 with 4:04 in the second quarter and picked up his third foul on Embiid. Jericho Sims came in and had to be substituted three minutes later with three fouls, unable to stop Embiid without a foul.
“Our fouls, they hurt us,” Thibodeau said after Embiid and Harden combined for 64 points, 20 of which came from the free-throw line. “Hey look, Embiid is a great player. Harden is a great player. But if you’re not disciplined, it’s going to hurt you, and it did.”
The sixth-ranked Knicks, who are three games behind the fifth-ranked 76ers, begin a three-game road trip Tuesday in Dallas knowing they can compete with some of the NBA’s best.
But they want more than that and need to play cleaner to do it.
“Some [the fouls, we] You just have to be a little smarter, to know trends, but some of them I think are really good,” Barrett said. “James Harden, one of the best at getting fouled, Joel Embiid, goes there about 12 times a game, so they’re going to get them. We have to try better to limit that.”