Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images Carmelo Anthony hits a three-pointer to tie the game vs. Sixers.
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Against the Knicks on Monday afternoon, Smith and the 76ers took the Knicks to double overtime and Smith himself a had a few highlights of his own on the day.
Anthony sent the game into overtime with a 3-pointer from the top of the key with three seconds left in regulation.
Every assessment of Kristaps Porzingis’ potential comes with the same warning label: If he stays healthy.
They finally won it in the second extra period, sparked by two baskets and a blocked shot from reserve guard Langston Galloway. He drew a double team and, as soon as the second defender committed, he passed the ball to Arron Afflalo on the opposite wing. “Just very happy to get out of here with a win”. Porzingis had 16 points and 12 rebounds, but sat out the overtimes after hurting his right foot trying to grab an offensive rebound. The Sixers (5-38) however, feasted off several of Smith’s misses, dunking them after Porzingis and Robin Lopez were forced to help out near the free-throw line. Okafor had 20 points and 7 rebounds, but never came back in the game after the third quarter.
“It’s a cruel loss”, Brett Brown told reporters after the game. “To not see that through is really disappointing”.
Heading into overtime the Sixers opened a three-point lead with 1:11 to go after a dynamic Ish Smith-to-Nerlens Noel alley oop. “It was an exciting game“.
Afflalo dropped a team-high 25 points for the Knicks (21-22), who snapped a two-game losing streak.
“Then I looked up and the lead just kept getting cut and cut and cut, so at that point I knew it was going to be a longer night, ” Anthony said. Anthony (49), Noel (48), Covington (46), Afflalo (45), Smith (44) and Hollis Thompson (40) all played more than 40 minutes.
With 1:13 left in the third, the Knicks held their biggest lead of the game at 76-58, but Philadelphia used a 17-4 run to start the fourth quarter, enabling it to get to within 80-79. He left the game 65 seconds later, then returned briefly in the final seconds of regulation time before sitting out the overtimes. Brown said before the game he would be limited to 20 minutes…. The Philadelphia 76ers have lost 10 of their last 12 road games.
NOTES: The Knicks have hosted a game at Madison Square Garden on Martin Luther King Jr. F Kevin Seraphin was inactive with a bruised right rib.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine, ” he said.
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Porzingis said later he could have played in overtime if called upon, believes he will not require X-rays and expects to play against the Jazz Wednesday at the Garden. “I’m young, I recover quick”. This is the third time the Knicks and 76ers have met on MLK Day….
