Knicks get true test against 76ers to see if they’re really out of funk

Beating up on the Nets was a good way to lift the vibes around the Knicks, if at least for a few days.

But now comes a big step up in quality of opponent. 

This matchup with the 76ers — against whom they are 0-2 this year — in Philadelphia on Saturday will be a much truer test of whether the Knicks have climbed out of their downturn. 

“It’s gonna be a challenge,” Josh Hart said after practice Friday, “but we need challenges right now. … We had a stretch where we were struggling. Obviously, we had a really good win the other day [against the Nets]. And now it’s like, feeling good but you can’t be feeling too good. Tough opponent where you gotta go in there and do the little things. And then if you beat a good team like that, then you can feel a little better about yourself.”

The Knicks have been torched by the 76ers’ explosive backcourt of Tyrese Maxey, a budding superstar in the league and All-Star starter, and VJ Edgecombe, who’s enjoying a strong rookie season. Those two represent exactly what the Knicks struggle with most — defending quick, athletic guards — who can both beat opponents off the dribble and hurt defenses from 3-point range at the point of- attack. 

New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and Og Anunoby on the bench. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Maxey and Edgecombe scored 30 and 23 points, respectively, in the first matchup of the year — a 116-107 Knicks loss Dec. 19. They scored 36 and 26 points, respectively, in the second matchup — a 130-119 loss Jan. 3. And between the two games, they combined to shoot 56.3 percent from the field and 52.8 percent from 3-point range.

Both those games were at Madison Square Garden. 

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“You’ve just gotta prepare for what they like to get to, their moves, and know where they like to get a quick burst and you can’t relax,” Mikal Bridges, who will spend plenty of time guarding Maxey and Edgecombe, said Friday. “The moment you relax, they get that first step, it’s gonna be tough for you. So always being engaged and preparing for whatever the movements are because they’re so fast. 

“The thing is to focus on ourselves and know to help each other on the defensive end. It’s never one-v.-one. It should be one-v.-five. Whatever guy’s got the ball should see the guy on ball and four help defenders helping each other out.” 

Lost in Maxey’s and Edgecombe’s breakout seasons has been Joel Embiid’s resurgence. He is healthier and more impactful than he has been in three years, since he won MVP in the 2022-23 season. 

He did not play in the first matchup between the teams, but certainly made a difference in the second, recording 26 points and 10 rebounds. 

Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Phoenix Suns on January 20, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NBAE via Getty Images

Embiid is also coming off his biggest workload of the season, playing 26 minutes in the 76ers’ overtime win over the Rockets on Thursday. 

“Embiid’s a Hall of Famer,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “He’s an All-Star and he knows all the tricks of the trade. He can beat you shooting the 3 because he has great touch, he can beat you from the free-throw line, he’s getting there eight times a game. So we have to make sure we continue to lead with our chest and show our hands. But, obviously, he can beat you in the post. So we have to be on point, try not to give him anything easy, especially sending him to the free-throw line knowing he’s great at drawing fouls.”

Saturday’s game is part of the NBA’s Rivalry Week. The teams will enter the game just 1 ½-games apart in the standings, and could certainly run into each other down the road in the playoffs. 

There was some animosity when they squared off in the first round of the playoffs two years ago, particularly toward Embiid. This year, there hasn’t been much vitriol or bad blood. It doesn’t take much to change that, though. 

“I think the NBA wants me to say yeah [it’s a rivalry],” Hart joked. “But it’s obviously a really good team, a really good-coached team. … I feel like whenever you play someone in the playoffs, you always, whether that’s the players or the fan base, always finds some type of way to hate them or hate a player there or here.” 

Rivals or not, it’s an important next step that the Knicks can take.