New York Knicks pull out victory over Philadelphia 76ers

PHILADELPHIA -- Kristaps Porzingis continues to embrace the daily challenge of facing top draft choices from other teams.

Even if Porzingis doesn't post huge numbers, he simply wants to win.

Jahlil Okafor topped Porzingis in the individual battle between two of the top draft picks in the 2015 NBA Draft, but the New York Knicks came away with a 107-97 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

Porzingis, who received a huge ovation from the crowd at Wells Fargo Center, finished with eight points, four rebounds and three blocked shots while Okafor had 20 points and five rebounds. Some of Okafor's statistics came at the end of the fourth quarter when Porzingis was on the bench.

"It's exciting to go up against the guys who I went through the draft process with," Porzingis said. "It's a chance to check yourself."

Okafor was taken by the 76ers at No. 3 overall. One pick later at No. 4, the Knicks surprised many around the league by selecting Porzingis.

Okafor missed the first meeting this season between the teams on Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden while serving a team-imposed suspension for off-the-court issues.

Porzingis didn't need to have a huge offensive night because the final score was never in doubt.

"We're a better team when he's on the floor," Knicks coach Derek Fisher said of Porzingis.

The Knicks won their third straight and improved to 13-14. The Sixers lost their ninth straight, falling to 1-27.

But the matchup between Okafor and Porzingis was worth watching.

The two last met July 14 in the Las Vegas Summer League. In that game, Porzingis blocked Okafor's potential tying shot and the Knicks went on to win in overtime.

Okafor won a national championship at Duke and has been a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year honors. He entered the game averaging 17.8 points and 8.1 rebounds despite the mounting losses and frustration.

Porzingis began the night with averages of 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. In addition, he has proved to be a terrific all-around player with the ability to block shots, play defense and run the court.

"He's pretty competitive, pretty fiery," Fisher said. "We don't really have to coach those things."

Porzingis clearly has more talent surrounding him and that was evident as the Knicks raced out to a 65-44 lead at halftime. The Knicks shot 55 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line while committing only four turnovers.

The Sixers knocked down just two of their 13 attempts from 3-point range and struggled to find offensive rhythm. Point guard Tony Wroten, who is coming back from a knee injury, led the way with 10 points. He was the only Philadelphia player in double figures in the first half.

The Knicks kept applying pressure and quickly increased their lead to 85-58 with 4:07 remaining in the third quarter. Philadelphia's offense was stagnant and had numerous air balls, much to the dismay of the home crowd.

Guard Arron Afflalo paced the Knicks with 22 points and forward Derrick Williams added 17 points.

Afflalo was 9-for-13 in 25 effective minutes.

"Every game is different and it's got its own story," Afflalo said. "You never know. It would be nice to shoot a high percentage every night and get wins."

Forward Carmelo Anthony scored 16 points, forward Lance Thomas contributed 12 points and forward-center Kyle O'Quinn had 10.

Wroten scored 15 points and guard Isaiah Canaan added 14 for the 76ers. Forward Richaun Holmes and guard-forward Hollis Thompson chipped in with 10 each.

But the reeling Sixers lost. Again.

"It's been non-existent," Sixers coach Brett Brown said of the team's defense. "We're getting man-handled on the wings."

Through 28 games, the Sixers still have one win. They only compiled 37 wins over the last two seasons combined.

"I knew this first third (of the season) was going to be hard," Brown said. "I didn't think it would be this hard."

NOTES: The Sixers announced before the game that they agreed to terms with Mike D'Antoni to become associate head coach. He most recently coached the Los Angeles Lakers (2012-2014) after four seasons with the New York Knicks (2008-2012), five seasons with the Phoenix Suns (2003-08) and one season with the Denver Nuggets (1998-99). D'Antoni has a career record of 455-426. Sixers coach Brett Brown said D'Antoni will officially join the team during an upcoming road trip that begins Dec. 23 at Milwaukee. "This is a good thing," Brown said. "He's a hell of a resource and a hell of a coach." ... The Sixers assigned rookie F Christian Wood to the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League. It's his third assignment to Delaware this season. ... Knicks rookie PG Jerian Grant had been a DNP-CD the last two games. ... Knicks G Langston Galloway was a standout at nearby Saint Joseph's University.