Knicks head into All-Star break with 49-point demolition of 76ers

PHILADELPHIA — The Knicks played like their vacation hinged on the final result.

The Sixers played like they were already in Cabo. 

And in the end, the Knicks were rewarded with an All-Star break that started a little earlier than expected. Their victory Wednesday over the 76ers was forged in the first quarter and secured by halftime, when the Knicks took a 30-point lead into the locker room before cruising to a 138-89 final, their largest margin of victory ever over their division foe. 

Coach Mike Brown pulled all his starters for the last 10 minutes, then removed the second unit for the final seven. 

See you in a week. 

Jose Alvarado, in his third game as a Knick, lit up the 76ers for a season-high 26 points in 19 minutes. The scrappy point guard was activated in the first quarter by a dustup with Philadelphia’s Trendon Watford — which occurred in the aftermath of Mitchell Robinson being fouled hard by the Sixers forward — and the Knicks launched a game-breaking 27-9 run. 

Alvarado picked up his first technical foul for shoving Watford and subsequently connected on eight 3-pointers, tying his career best.

He also finished with a season-high five steals, and with the Knicks outscoring the Sixers by 35 points in his 19 minutes. 

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns led a balanced scoring attack with a combined 43 points on 17-for-28 shooting, leaving Mike Brown’s side with a 33-20 record before the weeklong break. The Knicks are on pace for roughly the same 51 wins as their last regular season. 

The Sixers (30-24) were missing Joel Embiid (knee) and overwhelmed by New York’s defensive energy, cutting and ball movement. The Knicks, who didn’t have OG Anunoby (toe), shot 53 percent and racked up a season-high 41 assists. 

It was a beatdown and a bounce back. 

A day earlier, the Knicks fell in OT to the Pacers, who are better than their record but nonetheless at the bottom of the East. That result was disappointing.

And their response was immediate. The Knicks led by double digits after just three minutes and never looked back. 

They required very little from star Jalen Brunson, who logged just 30 minutes and finished with eight points on six shots. The Sixers blitzed Brunson on pick-and-rolls — a faulty strategy from coach Nick Nurse — and the Knicks point guard responded by consistently finding his cutting teammates. 

Brunson’s next stop is All-Star weekend in L.A. Same for Towns.

The rest of the rotation players are getting a week off, plus Wednesday’s second half.