PHILADELPHIA -- The Knicks games are starting to follow a familiar script: a slow start followed by a furious comeback. The results are often dependent on the competition.
The competition Friday night was a fired-up 76ers bunch, intent on sending another message and winning their NBA Cup Group B game. The Knicks couldn't sustain their second-half effort, losing 98-93 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, falling to 2-4.
LeBron James and Tyrese Maxey made plays down the stretch, halting a Knicks run that saw them come back from multiple 14-point deficits in a rematch of the season-opening game last week, also won by the 76ers.
The Knicks returned to their inconsistent ways on offense following two straight victories. Those wins didn't solve their issues of ball movement or anything resembling the bunch that won the NBA title in June.
"We're trying to get a home run every time we get the ball," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. "We have to hit singles."
The Knicks committed only 14 turnovers but shot just 40.7% overall and 31.7% from 3-point range. In their previous three losses, they averaged 40.8% and 32.4% from 3, leading to being ranked 30th in offensive efficiency and raw scoring.
Friday followed that script to the letter, as it's slowly becoming the Knicks signature in the opening weeks.
"Sometimes it can be us being hesitant as well, wanting to make the right play," Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said. "We understand what we have to do, it's just starting the game that way. That has to be our biggest point of emphasis going forward."
It seemed like a study in contrast in some ways, the Knicks struggling to find offense, especially while Mikal Bridges continues to struggle while the 76ers seem to gain more confidence with each game -- all five starters looked to be a threat on offense.
And with the two teams being favorites in the East, this contest felt like it had more juice than the usual late October game, in addition to the NBA Cup stakes. The Knicks won the Cup last year, and the players said it was a contributing factor to them pulling together later in the year during their playoff run.
But Brown downplayed the importance.
"Not to me," said Brown when asked if there was extra significance. "It's the next opponent and that's the most important game. I don't care if it's Philly or Boston or Charlotte, let's play the right way."
Even without Jaylen Brown, who missed the contest out with a knee injury, the 76ers still managed to play with more energy than the Knicks. Maxey repeatedly got downhill to exploit the Knicks defense, and New York's offense didn't muster much beyond spurts to keep itself within striking distance.
As was the case in the wins against Detroit and Chicago, the Knicks put themselves in a hole, trailing by 14 early in the third quarter. After Brunson hit a tough corner 3-pointer with 1:32 remaining, the Knicks finally led by one, but James scored on a fadeaway and VJ Edgecombe hit a deep trey to end the Knicks threat.
"Today we feel like a team that was on the end of a road trip," said Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 22 with 12 rebounds. "I think we did a great job in the fourth quarter of finding that gear, of getting out the quicksand, finally turning gears into motion.
"It puts us in position where you've got to make some magic happen, and we just didn't have enough magic today to get back and win the game."