76ers defeat Knicks 79-73 in lowest-scoring NBA game since 2016

The Philadelphia 76ers won 79-73 over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, and their 17th road win of the season is officially the lowest-scoring NBA game since 2016.

The first quarter ended with the score tied 15-all. It’s just the third time in the last five seasons that both teams scored 15 points or fewer in the first quarter of a game. The last two instances occurred on Jan. 4, 2023.

“Any defensive coach would take that quarter,” Sixers’ Buddy Hield said. “Offensively, no, but we got great possessions … and we figured out a way to weather the storm and we made plays when we needed to make plays.”

According to a couple of NBA betting sites, the 76ers hold 10th-best odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks show the Knicks with 12th-shortest odds, ranking just below the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Tonight’s 79-73 win by Philadelphia is the first time since January 2016 where neither team in a game scored 80 points: https://t.co/sM3N2RvWM2 https://t.co/Msd3ziavtf

— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) March 11, 2024

A total of 152 points were scored between Philadelphia and New York on Sunday. On Jan. 6, 2016, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 78-74, also combining for 152 points.

Philadelphia led 37-31 at halftime, the lowest-scoring first half in an NBA game since the Portland Trail Blazers led the Detroit Pistons 34-31 on March 30, 2019, in a game the Pistons won 99-90.

Philadelphia 76ers’ largest lead was 10 points against New York Knicks, won without Embiid, Maxey

Hield and Paul Reed combined for the Sixers’ first 12 points in the fourth quarter, after Reed drained a 3-pointer with 3:32 left to give the 76ers the only double-digit lead of the game at 73-63.

Kelly Oubre Jr. led the 76ers in scoring with 18 points. Philadelphia shot 31-of-80 (38.8%) from the field, whereas New York finished 26-of-80 (32.5%) shooting from the floor.

Both teams played without a number of stars. Joel Embiid is still recovering from knee surgery and Tyrese Maxey was sidelined for his fourth straight game because of a concussion.

76ers tonight:

— playing Knicks at MSG
— no Embiid
— no Maxey
— scored only 79 points

Won by 6 points. pic.twitter.com/yjye3YmV8H

— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 11, 2024

Meanwhile, the Knicks are still missing three-time All-Star Julius Randle, along with starters OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. It should be noted that Jalen Brunson played.

Even then, New York struggled to score. The six-year veteran recorded a team-high 19 points on 6-of-22 (27.3%) shooting from the field, 1-of-9 (11.1%) from 3-point range, and 6-of-8 (75%) at the foul line.

Two other lower-scoring NBA games include the New Jersey Nets’ 64-60 victory against Portland on Nov. 9, 2004, and the Charlotte Hornets‘ 65-56 win versus the Miami Heat on Dec. 20, 2000.