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New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers recap: final score and what we learned (Week of Oct 30–Nov 5, 2026)
NBA Audit · Week of Oct 30–Nov 5, 2026 · Game recap
The Philadelphia 76ers got the win they were supposed to get, beating the New York Knicks 98-93 at home. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't comfortable. But a five-point win over a team that had been leaking points all season keeps Philadelphia's momentum intact. The Knicks are left with the same questions they arrived with.
The result
The box score tells a clear story about how this one was decided: shooting efficiency beat volume. Philadelphia made 37 of 75 from the field, 49 percent. New York got up 86 shots and made 35, which is 41 percent. That is a lot of work for not much return.
The Knicks did plenty right in other areas. They out-rebounded Philadelphia 45 to 39, and their 14 offensive rebounds against just 5 for the 76ers explains how they got so many extra looks. Those second chances kept them in the game. They just couldn't turn them into enough points.
The long ball didn't help either. New York hit 13 of 41 from three, 32 percent, while Philadelphia made 12 of 34, 35 percent. Philadelphia also passed the ball a little better, with 26 assists to New York's 23. At the line it was close to even: the 76ers made 12 of 16 and the Knicks made 10 of 14. Both teams finished with 15 fouls.
How our preview held up
The preview made no pick, but it clearly leaned Philadelphia. It called the 76ers the more settled team, citing their form of four wins in their last five. It also said the Knicks needed to defend better than they had been. That read holds up. Philadelphia won, and New York's season-long defensive problem was at least partly offset by a tougher night for both offenses.
The preview's best call was its most cautious one. It argued that neither offense would get an easy night, because the matchup numbers were negative on both sides and sat close together. That's what happened. Philadelphia scored 98 against a season average of 112, and New York scored 93 against 107.9. Neither team came close to its usual output.
The preview also circled the battle on the glass as the thing to watch. New York won the rebounding fight, which the preview said the Knicks needed to do to survive a night when shots were hard to come by. But winning the glass wasn't enough, because the extra possessions came with poor shooting. I'd say that's where the preview was too generous to New York. A rebounding edge only matters if the shots go in.
What it means
For Philadelphia, this is another close win from a team that has been winning without blowing anybody out. That's a perfectly good way to build a record early, and the 49 percent shooting suggests the offense was efficient even if the scoreboard wasn't spectacular.
For New York, the picture is more frustrating. Holding Philadelphia to 98 is a better defensive showing than their 116.9 points allowed per game would suggest. Even so, the Knicks couldn't turn that into a win. They controlled the boards, got up far more shots and still lost. If the offense can't convert those chances, one good defensive night won't change their trajectory.
This was a game the Knicks could have stolen, and that's the uncomfortable part. Their path to a turnaround is clear enough: keep defending like this and make their shots count. Until they do, the questions will keep coming.
Read our pre-game preview: New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers preview: team news, form and key matchups (Oct 30)
Final score
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| New York Knicks | 93 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 98 |
Team stats
| Stat | Philadelphia 76ers | New York Knicks |
|---|---|---|
| points | 98 | 93 |
| fgm | 37 | 35 |
| fga | 75 | 86 |
| fgp | 49 | 41 |
| ftm | 12 | 10 |
| fta | 16 | 14 |
| ftp | 75 | 71 |
| tpm | 12 | 13 |
| tpa | 34 | 41 |
| tpp | 35 | 32 |
| off reb | 5 | 14 |
| def reb | 34 | 31 |
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Data attribution: Stats for informational analysis only. Verify figures against official league sources.