Their last meeting was appointment viewing for NBA junkies. It was mid July in UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center, and the Knicks and 76ers delivered a Summer League thiller that lived up to the hype of a matchup between the third and fourth overall picks in the 2015 Draft.
Kristaps Porzingis and Jahlil Okafor went head to head, as Philly built up a big lead, only to watch the Knicks storm back to win in overtime. It was a fascinating contrast in styles, Okafor with his advanced post moves and Porzingis displaying his special offensive versatility. Most importantly, it was the Knicks' rookie's defensive adjustments that led to three key second-half blocks of Okafor to help lift New York to the comeback victory.
When they meet up again for a special Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee on January 18th, the prized rookies will have to share the spotlight in a divisional contest at the Garden; New York has reloaded with veterans to surround Carmelo Anthony, Jose Calderon and Co. with two-way role players, while the Sixers, last-year's second-youngest team, feature a handful of young players (including Nerlens Noel, Nik Stauskus and Robert Covington) looking to turn potential into production.
But despite the experience gap, this figures to be an entertaining test for the orange and blue. Philadelphia coach Brett Brown has a reputation for getting his teams to give maximum effort, as evidenced by his club's defensive improvement in 2014-15, when it finished with the NBA's 13th-best defensive rating. It should be interesting to see how Okafor impacts the team in that area, with his polished back-to-the-basket game and passing skills balanced out by pedestrian athleticism by NBA standards. Sixers fans hope Noel can compliment the former Duke Blue Devil with his outstanding length and bounce.
The Knicks will be looking to flex their muscles against a divisional foe as they strive to return to the playoffs, but don’t be surprised to see Brown’s squad battle to the very end.