The Knicks’ winless record against the top three teams in the NBA felt like a first-world problem when compared to the skidding team they ousted in the first round of the playoffs last spring.
Following their latest deflating losses to Eastern Conference powerhouses Cleveland and Boston over the weekend, however, the Knicks had all they could handle with the reeling 76ers before pulling out a sloppy 110-105 victory Wednesday night at the Garden.
“Yeah, we needed that. Just happy that we came away with the win,” said Jalen Brunson, who bailed out the Knicks down the stretch with 11 of his 34 points in the final 3:39. “But we still got a lot of work to do.”
The Sixers, who have been without All-Star center Joel Embiid for all but 19 games this season, have crashed out of the top 10 playoff positions in the East with nine consecutive losses.
But you wouldn’t have known it by watching Wednesday’s second half.
Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) sat out for the Knicks, with rookie center Ariel Hukporti getting the first starting nod of his NBA career.
Hukporti contributed eight points and two rebounds in 16 minutes, but he also departed the game in the fourth quarter with a left knee injury.
Mikal Bridges netted 19 of his 28 in the first quarter for the Knicks (38-20), while Josh Hart grabbed 17 rebounds but committed seven of the team’s 16 turnovers.
“We just weren’t as focused, were pretty careless with the ball,” Brunson said. “It’s all good. We’ve just got to respond. We can’t sulk about it.
“I think we responded in a way that helped us get a win. Not ideal, obviously it’s not what we want. But it’s a win and we move forward.”
Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 30 points despite an 0-for-10 night from 3-point range, Kelly Oubre had 27 and Paul George added 25.
Bridges came in with just one 20-point game over his previous 10 appearances, but he nailed his first six shots and totaled 19 — his high for any quarter this season — as the Knicks grabbed a 33-21 advantage through 12 minutes.
Brunson also dished out all seven of his assists in the opening session, including a feed to Hukporti for a dunk for the Knicks’ first points of the game.
Cam Payne found Precious Achiuwa for another stuff and Hukporti rolled to the rim for his second slam of the half as the Knicks extended their lead to 18 in the second en route to a 61-45 lead at halftime.
“[Bridges] was huge,” Tom Thibodeau said. “Obviously, you’re not replacing a guy like KAT individually … and I thought the way Mikal played, his aggressiveness at the start of the game was huge.
“And then Jalen and Josh and everyone for that matter, started searching him out and finding advantages for him. It was good team play, and Mikal was terrific.”
Bridges didn’t add to his scoring total in the period, but Brunson finished the half with 15, including 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.
Hukporti converted an offensive rebound for a putback early in the third, but he came up limping and had his left knee looked at by Knicks trainers shortly thereafter.
Maxey netted his team’s final 10 points of the quarter, including two free throws in the final minute, to shave the deficit to 83-74 entering the final period.
George’s midrange jumper closed the gap to six barely 60 seconds into the fourth.
Buckets by Bridges and OG Anunoby pushed it back to double digits with 9:19 left, and the Knicks still led 94-85 midway through the quarter.
A 3-pointer by Justin Edwards and a lob dunk by Andre Drummond pulled the Sixers within one, and two free throws by Maxey put them ahead with under four minutes to play.
Brunson’s two free throws pulled the Knicks even before he also drained a 3-pointer for a 105-102 lead with 1:22 remaining.
“That’s what he does all the time,” Bridges said of Brunson. “Just capable of scoring like that, especially in the fourth, helping us win the game.”
Achiuwa then rejected the taller Drummond at the rim with 34.1 ticks left, and Anunoby got free for an inbounds dunk to preserve the victory.
