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Merry Christmas to all and to all a great day of opening gifts and watching some great NBA games. The NBA begin playing games on Christmas since 1947 when the New York Knickerbockers defeated the Providence Steamrollers at Madison Square Garden. The tradition continues today as there are five NBA games scheduled including those same New York Knicks who will take on the Philadelphia 76ers in the first game at 12:00 PM ET.
Pregame
This is the first time this season the Knicks and 76ers are facing against each other and it should be a promising match-up. Both teams came into the season with different expectations on how things may pan out. After showing off their franchise player Joel Embiid last season plus the return of Ben Simmons and new number one pick Markelle Fultz. Many believed the 76ers would improve with a possibility of making the playoffs. Whereas the Knicks had a terrible season last year with many distractions including former team president Phil Jackson and whether or not Carmelo Anthony would be on the team this season. Now with both Anthony and Jackson gone, new franchise player Kristaps Porzingis has led this team to a great start with the hopes of reaching the playoffs. Watching Embiid and Porzingis go head to head is one gift but watching these two up and coming teams go at it is a gift everyone can enjoy.
First Quarter
11:30- Enes Kanter guarding Joel Emiib early on, the defense did not matter as Embiid hits a fadeaway jumper.
10:30- 76ers Ben Simmons playing great defense on Kristaps Prozingis who is now 0-3.
9:40- Knicks finally on the board with a mid-range jumper by Courtney Lee.
8:50- Enes Kanter offensive rebound, something he has excelled at in the early season, let’s see if Emiib can prevent that. Porzingis on the scoreboard with two free throws
7:53- Kristaps with a nice one-handed fast-break dunk.
7:10-6:50- JJ Reddick(76ers) and Courtney Lee (Knicks) two veterans on these young teams trade baskets and are off to a good start 4 points apiece.
6:00- Great help defense by Kristaps who gets the block, he has turned into a good rim protector.
4:10 The French man Frank Ntilikina with a nice move off of the screen for an easy lay-up.
3:35 Kristaps with a sweet face-up jumper over Dario Saric who played good defense but Porzingis is just too tall.
2:30- With Ben Simmons out and Embiid back in the 76ers are clearly trying to feed Embiid the ball and get him going offensively.
2:25- Another great block by Porzingis as he swats Covington’s lay-up attempt.
00:52- Embiid post spin-around for a ferocious two-handed slam, followed by a block at the other end.
00:02- Kyle O’Quinn with a mid-range jumper to end the first quarter
00:00- Knicks-24 76ers- 21. With Embiid on the bench, the 76ers have trouble finding a rhythm on offense, while the Knicks’ Porzingis and Courtney Lee are off to a good start scoring the ball
Second Quarter
11:40- Coach Brett Brown said he wants to see Embiid get the ball lower in the paint, first play of the second quarter post up fade-away jumper.
11:10- Embiid follows up with a spot-up three-pointer.
10:59- “The walking bucket” Micheal Beasley is on the scoreboard with a mid-range jumper.
10:50-10:00- Both teams trading baskets and picking up the pace which is what we expected from this game.
9:10 Joel Embiid runs from the sideline to block a coast to coast lay-up from Frank Ntilikina
8:30 Ben Simmons gets his first basket with a post-up hook-shot.
7:12- With Porzingis taking a rest, Beasley is trying to be the go-to guy on offense for the Knicks.
5:00- Both offenses a little stale in these last two minutes, a lot of turnovers. Would love to see Porzingis get more post-up opportunities and Simmons to attack the basket more.
4:38- Courtney Lee ends the scoring drought, followed by a Dario Saric lay-up for the 76ers.
3:00- Porzingis with two back to back post scores, Saric cannot handle Porzingis down low.
2:35- Saric getting back at Porzingis with a nice fake to the left and finish with a right hook
1:53 Knicks trying to take advantage of Porzingis in the paint with Saric on him, leading to a foul.
1:30- Covington who his a three-point threat and has a nice jump shot just cannot by a basket.
00:44- Deep three by JJ Reddick coming off the screen just like he was back at Duke. He follows that by getting fouled shooting three giving the 76ers a 4 point lead.
00:06- Enes Kanter with ANOTHER offensive rebound and the putback lay-up
00:02- ANOTHER block by the Unicorn Kristaps Porzingis to end the first half, but the 76ers go into halftime with the lead 50-48
00:00- The pace picked up in the second quarter and made this game more exciting. Both teams need to find players to pick up the slack when Embiid (76ers) and Porzingis (Knicks) go to the bench. Ben Simmons needs to do what everyone expects from him facilitate and get to the basket.
Third Quarter
11:52- First Possession of the quarter Ben Simmons race down the court for an easy lay-up.
11:00- Lance Thomas takes advantage of the confusion on the pick-and-roll and gets a lay-up.
10:05- Hard foul on Joel Embiid by Jarret Jack who runs right into Embiid in mid-air. Joel sat on the floor for a while, as words were exchanged between both teams on the court.
9:15- Enes Kanter nice face-up jumper over Embiid.
9:00- Embiid right back at Kanter with a nice post move and score.
7:48-Kanter draws his second foul as Embiid attacks the post and yells much to the dismay of the Knicks fan.
7:20-7:08- Courtney Lee with a much needed three to cut the lead to four, followed by ANOTHER block by Porzingis.
5:15- Simmons with a beautiful past to Saric who finishes with the lay-up.
4:15- Announcer Kara Lawson mentions how the 76ers have thought twice about going to lane with Porzingis there. As Sarci drove to the lane and then kicked it out for a three-point attempt
3:00-2:50- Kanter and Embiid trade baskets again as this game is beginning to heat up. Not the Porzingis and Embiid match-up we thought but this will do.
2:33- Coach Jeff Hornacek seems very upset by the lack of foul calls for the Knicks.
1:43- Kanter with a great ovation from the crowd for his great effort on defense and offense.
1:24- Dougie McBuckets with a deep three for the Knicks to cut the lead to one
00:25- TJ McConnell has turned it on in the last 2 minutes as he scored the last 8 points for the 76ers
00:04- Beasley with a nice pass to Kyle O’Quinn down low who scores to cut the deficit to 4.
00:00- Embiid (21 points) and Kanter (25 points)going at it in the third quarter have been the highlight of the game so far. As Kanter has provided some help for Porzingis. While McConnell and JJ Reddick have been the help for Embiid as Simmons struggles to find an offensive rhythm.
Fourth Quarter
11:20- Beasley has had three looks at an open three-point shot and has passed them up he has to take those shots.
10:59- Beasley attacks the rim for two points.
10:25- Reddick with a deep three after two offensive rebounds by the 76ers.
7:47 76ers starting to heat up offensively has Bayless hits a three to make it an eight-point lead.
7:30- Porzingis gets a deep three to go down off of an Enes Kanter offensive Rebound.
6:30- Embiid struggling to score in the fourth quarter.
6:05- Kanter with ANOTHER offensive rebound (22!) this one coming with an emphatic putback dunk to cut the lead to three.
5:20- Knicks find Porzingis at the top of the key with a miss match on Jerryd Bayless, Porzingis connects with a jumper and a foul to tie the game.
4:35- McConnell gets the steal and finds Simmons for a one-handed fast-break dunk.
3:55- Ben Simmons struggles continues as he misses two free throws.
3:30- JJ Reddick hits another three to give him 22 points in the game.
2:25- Embiid with a corner three to give the 76ers an eight-point lead, as he runs back down the court celebrating.
1:33- Beasley misses two free-throws, followed by a Knicks turnover and another Ben Simmons fast-break dunk.
1:06- Five-second violation by the Knicks, as Embiid has a chat with a few fans.
00:23- Steal and a three-pointer by Courtney Lee plus an away from the ball foul on Embiid. But Porzingis miss the free throw and failed to get the rebound.
00:06- A steal by JJ Reddick seals the game as the Knicks could not capitalize on free-throws and also couldn’t take care of the ball.
00:00- Embiid (25 points 16 rebounds) got some help from Reddick(24 points) and McConnell (15 points). While the Knicks had a good performance from Kristaps (22 points), Enes Kanter (31 points 22 rebounds) and Courtney Lee (20 points).
Final: Philadelphia 76ers 105, New York Knicks 98
