Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points and Robin Lopez had 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Knicks past the 76ers 109-102 on Friday night.
Sasha Vujacic scored 16 points in a game between two of the worst teams in the NBA.
The Knicks snapped a two-game losing streak, modest by their standard. Four of their 32 wins have come against the Sixers and they swept them in a season for the first time 1994-95.
Robert Covington scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Sixers. Nerlens Noel had 17 points and 10 rebounds.
The NBA-worst Sixers have only 10 wins and failed to earn back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
The Sixers cut the lead to 102-100, but Jerian Grant buried a jumper that sealed the win for the Knicks.
There wasn't much to a game that had the feel of a meaningless preseason contest. The fans went wild when Allen Iverson was introduced to the crowd during a pregame ceremony. He cupped his hand to his left ear and the 2016 Hall of Famer soaked up the applause. He slapped hands with today's Sixers and watched from the stands.
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Lopez hit consecutive jumpers late in the third to help New York build on its one-point lead. The Knicks opened a double-digit cushion early in the fourth and Vujacic hit a 3 to make it 92-74 that helped give them needed breathing room.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Forward Kristaps Porzingis sat out again with a strained right shoulder. He hoped he could return this season, even if it's just for one game. "I want to come back, but it's not really in my hands," he said. "If I can recover and be 100 percent before the season is over, then I'll play." Porzingis hasn't moved his shoulder much and said he felt no real pain. He averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds in 72 games.
Sixers: G Isaiah Canaan is out for the rest of the season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. ... Coach Brett Brown said he enjoyed his three-year working relationship with former general manager Sam Hinkie. Hinkie quit this week via a 13-page manifesto and is set to be replaced by Bryan Colangelo. Brown and Hinkie had a farewell chat Thursday. "It was one of reflection, talking about different things with the team," Brown said. "I asked him, what do you think about free agents, what do you think about the draft? How it would have continued to try and grow the team."
HALL OF FAMER
Iverson walked into a press conference and announced, "I'm baaaaack."
This time, as a Hall of Famer.
Iverson returned to Philadelphia in honor of earning a spot in the 2016 Hall of Fame class. He'll be enshrined on Sept. 9.
Did the room bring back any memories?
"Yeah, what you want me to say, 'practice?'" he said, laughing.
Iverson won four scoring titles for the Sixers and was the 2001 MVP when he led them to the NBA Finals. Iverson was hilarious and heartfelt for 20 minutes, pausing to wipe tears from his eyes when he talked about his family. He cracked jokes with reporters and let fans know how much he cared.
"I love them for what they gave me. The love and the support that they gave me," he said. "There will never be nothing like the relationship that I had with the fans in Philadelphia."
NOEL ISSUE
TMZ Sports reported that Noel was being sued by the owners of a home he leased for causing significant damage to the property. The owners sued for Noel for $75,000. Coach Brett Brown said, "We will help him deal with this." Brown said he learned about the story shortly before the game. "I asked him if his head is in the right place. We will help him. We learn more about it after the game," Brown said.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Toronto on Sunday.
Sixers: Host Milwaukee on Sunday.
