PHILADELPHIA — It Was LeBron, Of Course

When the game reached its critical moments, it was LeBron James who stepped up and made the key plays. His contributions helped the 76ers secure a 98-93 victory over the Knicks on Friday night.

“You know, adding what many consider the best player ever certainly changes the dynamic,” Karl-Anthony Towns remarked, underscoring James’s impact.

The Knicks found themselves trailing by three with just under 31 seconds remaining and were in desperate need of a stop to regain possession. Tyrese Maxey navigated around Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson, driving to the lane. Josh Hart, tasked with guarding James, moved to help on the drive.

Maxey’s layup attempt didn’t fall, but James soared for an uncontested putback layup, widening the Knicks’ deficit to five with only 12 seconds left, effectively securing the win for the Sixers.

Earlier in the game, Brunson hit a three-pointer, giving the Knicks their first lead since the first quarter with 1:32 on the clock. James immediately responded on the opposite end with a classic turnaround jumper, reclaiming the lead for the 76ers.

“That last shot was a tough fadeaway over OG [Anunoby],” Hart described. “And then the other, well, I was on him but when Tyrese turned the corner to drive, I had to step up. There wasn’t much help behind me because a shooter was out there, so there was some room for him. LeBron made a great play, crashing the boards.”

James led his team with six points in the fourth quarter, stepping up as Maxey became less active offensively.

“I’m really working on getting comfortable with our offensive plays,” James shared. “I think with more games and practice, I’ll keep improving physically. That makes a difference.”

“Regarding those two shots, I just wanted to be aggressive. I had a one-on-one with OG, and I managed to hit my fadeaway. Then, when Maxey went for that layup and missed it a touch, I was just in the right place at the right time to tip it in.”