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Knicks Center Finally Breaks Through in 76ers Victory

The New York Knicks pushed things forward in their win against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives for a shot next to Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (5) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Nov 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives for a shot next to Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (5) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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The New York Knicks are thrilled after a 111-99 win against the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Cup opener at Wells Fargo Center.

In the game, Joel Embiid made his season debut for the Sixers, where he had 13 points in 26 minutes of action. Karl-Anthony Towns outmatched him, dropping 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the win.

“I know we know about the talent Joel Embiid has, where he ranks, superbly talented," Towns said h/t Posting and Toasting. "I just wanted to go out there and do what I could to help us win. [I] found myself early on. [I] hit some shots, gave us a little bit of life, a little bit of energy. I just always want to bring that to the team.”

Towns' brought energy in the low post that the entire team could feel including Josh Hart, who had a triple-double in the win.

“Obviously Joel is a great defensive player. But first game back, it takes you a little while to get into the rhythm," Hart said. “[Towns] did what we needed him to do, came out of the gate [and] got a couple of threes, attacked the rim. He set the tone early, got big rebounds and we kind of fed off of that.”

The NBA Cup gives teams an opportunity to ramp up the competitive levels early in the season and prepare teams for playoff-like atmospheres, especially those who have yet to experience it together.

While the Knicks have advanced to the second round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, the team is still learning how to play with another and ingratiate players like Towns and Mikal Bridges into the fold.

Wins like this get the Knicks closer to their goals as they trudge through the season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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