Even during last season’s turnaround, the Knicks couldn’t solve the Sixers, going 0-3 with two close, last-minute losses.
But Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons wasn’t here Tuesday night for this TNT showdown at the Garden and new point guard Kemba Walker was.
Walker, after sitting out the final 18 minutes of Sunday’s bitter loss to Orlando, led five Knicks in double-figures with 19 points. He exploded in the second quarter, draining four consecutive rainbow jump shots as the Knicks snapped a 15-game losing streak to the Sixers in a 112-99 romp to improve to 3-1.
After a slow start, the Knicks bashed the Sixers by a Kemba-inspired 39-16 count in the second period and beat Philly for the first time since 2017.
The Garden fans were electric as Walker went off.
“I was waiting for that moment,’’ said Walker, who scored 10 points, going 4-for-4 in a 5:49 span of the second. “I was waiting for that moment. It was the kind of moment I dreamed of when I was a young kid wanting to be in the NBA, watching the Knicks play, coming to a Knicks game and seeing how the crowd goes crazy. That was a great moment for me.’’
In the first half, the rocking Garden chanted, “Where’s Ben Simmons?’’ deriding the Sixers for their disgruntled former All-Star guard being on indefinite leave. With five minutes left in the rout, the Simmons chant was revived.
The victory put in the rearview mirror their shocking upset loss to the Magic on Sunday. Randle said he was “sick’’ over the Orlando loss and didn’t get to sleep until 4 a.m.
“We redeemed ourselves,’’ Walker said.
“Long before the ball went up tonight, I could tell we’d have a good game,’’ coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We knew we didn’t play well. We got a real group of guys — serious-minded. I could tell that night, the next day and last night the gym was packed with people working. I knew this would be a good test for us.’’
The Knicks’ depth was clear with Evan Fournier adding 18, Julius Randle chipping in with 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and seven Knicks scoring at least nine points.
“Anybody can score and make plays and that’s what this team can do,’’ Randle said. “It’s great I don’t have to get 30 to give us a chance to win. As long as we defend, we’re going to have a shot.’’
“[Kemba] played a great game,’’ Thibodeau said. “We played a great game. Tonight the way Kemba played, he set the tone. Julius was unbelievable making plays and being unselfish and got into a good rhythm.”
Walker, who played for Boston last season, got hot from deep, draining 5 of 9 3-pointers. After missing his first three shots of the game, the Bronx point guard hit seven of his next nine.
The Knicks have raised their 3-point attempt totals under pleas from Thibodeau, and Tuesday they hit 15 of their first 23 attempts.
Sixers coach Doc Rivers said it is more roster than strategy.
“That’s called having Kemba Walker and Fournier on your team,’’ Rivers said. “They needed to score more. I think Thibs knew that.’’
Against Orlando on Sunday, Walker had to endure sitting on the pine the game’s final 18 minutes while the Knicks blew it.
The ugly Simmons soap opera may put the Knicks in play to pass Philly in the Eastern Conference standings this season. The 2-2 Sixers were the third seed in 2020-21.
Now they head to Chicago to get the Bulls, who were touted for their sexy offseason splashes and have built a 4-0 record. United Center will be supercharged, too, on “Joakim Noah Night.’’
“It doesn’t stop,’’ Thibodeau said. “We can’t feel good about tonight. We go to Chicago to play an undefeated team that’s loaded and playing real well. We’ll have to play our best.’’
