LeBron James didn’t need much time to feel at home in Philadelphia.
After the 76ers knocked off the New York Knicks 98-93 on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, James made it clear he’s enjoying every bit of the move that stunned the basketball world in the offseason.
“I’m having a great time,” James said, via PHLY Sports. “Having a great time.
I mean, I love what we’re bringing to the table every night. I love our competitive spirit.
Guys show up to work, guys ready to work hard, and it’s a fun group, too… I think I’ve said it before; I’m like a big a** kid, to be completely honest, but these guys are great to be around, and I’m more than happy that I made the decision to come.”
James’ decision to sign with Philadelphia came after the 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves emerged as the finalists in his free-agency sweepstakes. Cleveland and Miami were viewed as the most likely destinations because they’re both former teams of his, which made the 76ers landing him even more surprising.
Instead, James joined a roster that already included Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey. That kind of group immediately turned Philadelphia into a serious title contender, even if the expectation was that the early part of the season might come with some growing pains as the stars figured each other out. So far, that hasn’t happened.
The 76ers are now 5-1 and tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference after beating the Knicks. James played a huge role in that win, delivering late when the game tightened up. He buried a fadeaway over OG Anunoby to give Philadelphia a 91-89 lead with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter, then followed it with a tip-in off Tyrese Maxey’s missed layup to stretch the advantage to five with 11.9 seconds left.
“As far as the two shots, just trying to be aggressive one-on-one on the block versus OG,” James said. “I was able to get to my fadeaway, knock that down.
And then Reese draw so much attention from the layup, kind of miss it a little bit. I was able to tip in, right place at the right time.”
He finished with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, along with nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and one block in the NBA Cup game. Head coach Nick Nurse said it was James’ best performance for the 76ers so far, and the expectation is that he’ll keep settling in as the season moves along.
Philadelphia’s next test comes Saturday at 6 p.m. ET against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. It’s the second night of a back-to-back, and James’ availability will be worth watching after he didn’t play both games during the team’s previous back-to-back earlier this young season.
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For a Knicks team still trying to find consistency, that has kept the same question hanging over the bench: how much more should Clarkson be playing? The coaching staff has been careful with his usage, and the answer has not changed much even as his minutes have been productive. Until that shifts, every strong outing is likely to renew the debate about whether the Knicks are leaving something on the table. [Read more 🡒]
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New York Playoff Game Ended With A Finish Fans Still Can't Believe
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The score sent Whitesboro into the next round of the playoffs, where Auburn awaits, but the ending is what has kept the game in the spotlight. The play spread quickly on social media, and for anyone who saw it live, it was the sort of chaotic, improbable finish that is hard to process even after the highlight has been slowed down and replayed. [Read more 🡒]