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PHILADELPHIA 76ERS defeated NEW YORK KNICKS 99 – 96 MARCH 16, 2021 

March 17, 2021

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks, 99-96, on Tuesday night at The Center, improving to 28-12 on the season. The 76ers’ 18-3 home record remains the best in the East and is second in the NBA to Utah (16-2). Philadelphia’s 18 home wins are the most in the league.

It’s the fifth time since 1982-83 that the team has won at least 28 of its first 40 games in a season. The last time the team did so was in 2000-01 when it got off to a 30-10 start (Elias Sports Bureau).

The 76ers have now won a season-high six straight games, dating back to March 1. It’s the team’s longest single-season winning streak since March 10-20, 2019 (also six straight), per Stathead.

Philadelphia has now beaten New York in 14 straight games since the start of the 2017-18 season. Just three times in franchise history has the team had a longer winning streak against a single opponent (17 vs. Cleveland from Oct. 28, 1980-Dec. 16, 1983, 16 vs. Cleveland from April 27, 1999-Feb. 23, 2003 and 16 vs. Detroit from Jan. 19, 1966-Oct. 24, 1967), the Elias.

BEN SIMMONS, who posted 16 points and team highs of 13 rebounds and seven assists in the win, is now 13-0 in his career against New York.

TOBIAS HARRIS and FURKAN KORKMAZ each scored eight fourth-quarter points as the 76ers outscored the Knicks 26-14 in the game’s final frame. The 14 points were the fewest Philadelphia has allowed in a fourth quarter this season and the least a 76ers opponent scored in a fourth period since March 11, 2018 vs. Milwaukee (Stathead).

Harris tallied a game-high 30 points (11-20 FG, 4-6 3FG, 4-4 FT), six rebounds, two assists and two blocks in nearly 38 minutes. It was Harris’ second 30-point performance of the season and the 21st time he’s scored at least 20. The 76ers are 18-3 this season when Harris scores 20-or-more points (Stathead).

In his 10th NBA season, Harris is averaging career highs in points per game (20.5), field-goal percentage (.518), free-throw percentage (.892) and assists per game (3.4), per NBA.com/stats.

Tonight was Simmons’ team-leading 21st game this season with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists. Just eight NBA players have more such games than Simmons this season. Since making his NBA debut in 2017-18, his 169 such games are fourth in the NBA, only behind Washington’s RUSSELL WESTBROOK, the Lakers’ LEBRON JAMES and Denver’s NIKOLA JOKIĆ (Stathead).

SETH CURRY finished the night with 20 points (7-14 FG, 4-7 3FG) in 32 minutes. It was his second straight 20-point performance, marking the second time this season he’s strung together consecutive 20-point outings (Dec. 31-Jan. 2), per Basketball-Reference.

Curry leads the team with a .442 three-point percentage, which ranks ninth in the NBA (NBA.com/stats).

DANNY GREEN led the 76ers with four steals, while MATISSE THYBULLE had a team-high three blocks. Green is second on the team to Thybulle with 51 steals this season and the 76ers are the only NBA team with three players each with 50 steals (Simmons, Green, Thybulle), per NBA.com/stats.

DWIGHT HOWARD posted 11 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, good for his fifth double-double of the season. His 270 rebounds off the bench this season are the most in the NBA (NBA.com/stats).

The Knicks were led by first-time All-Star JULIUS RANDLE, who notched 19 points, eight assists and 15 rebounds, all team highs. Randle is averaging 23.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game, all career highs. With his performance in tonight’s game, Randle now moves to a tie for fourth in the league in double-doubles (27) with the Nets’ JAMES HARDEN and Utah’s RUDY GOBERT (NBA.com/stats).

The Knicks were also helped by former 76er ALEC BURKS, who also recorded a team-high-tying 19 points of his own. This is Burks fourth straight game scoring in double figures, his second such stretch since the first four games of the 2020-21 season (Basketball-Reference).

NEXT UP: The 76ers will host the Milwaukee Bucks on tomorrow night, Wednesday, March 17 at 7 p.m. ET at The Center. This will be the first of three meetings this season between the two teams and the only one at The Center. The Bucks sit at 25-14 and third in the Eastern Conference, most recently defeating the Washington Wizards last night, 133-122. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN and locally on NBC Sports Philadelphia. It can be heard on 97.5 The Fanatic.