The Philadelphia 76ers demonstrated a far better effort Wednesday night against the New York Knicks, bouncing back from a disastrous 50-point loss to the Chicago Bulls. Despite a 19-point lead slipping away late in the game, the Knicks secured the win, improving to 38-20, while the Sixers dropped to 20-38, marking their ninth consecutive loss—the longest active losing streak in the NBA.

Tyrese Maxey attributed the improved performance to “pride,” noting that the team stepped up defensively and played with a renewed sense of intensity. “The Knicks are pretty good, but guys stood in there and guarded, played defense, and took matchups personally,” Maxey said.

Jalen Brunson’s late-game heroics helped the Knicks overcome their own challenges, but the Sixers displayed much-needed resilience compared to their lackluster performance against the Bulls. Maxey emphasized the team’s effort: “We played hard as hell. We guarded the ball, played together, played fast, made shots, got to the paint, scored. That’s how you play basketball.”

Despite the loss, this was not a case of poor effort. Maxey struggled through a right finger sprain, shooting just 12 for 32 from the field and missing all 10 of his three-point attempts. However, he remained unfazed, saying, “It hurts, but I’ll be fine.” Maxey noted his inability to handle the ball the way he usually does, but was determined not to make excuses.

Kelly Oubre Jr. stepped up, contributing 27 points and shooting 9 for 14 from the field, while Paul George added 25 points, his most in over a month. Both players logged 42 minutes, fueling the Sixers’ attempt at a comeback. “We just kept fighting for 48 minutes,” Oubre said. “Everybody competed that stepped on the floor. We’ve just got to make more plays and be smarter down the stretch.”

Though the Sixers’ season is unlikely to lead to championship contention, with the team facing a possible rebuild depending on their draft lottery position, the effort shown Wednesday night was a silver lining. “Whether you win or lose, you play the game the right way,” George said. “That’s where the fun and joy come from. We need to make strides to build winning habits, and if we play like we did tonight, we give ourselves a chance.”

Head coach Nick Nurse was also focused on improvement rather than the outcome. “We’re just trying to get ourselves to play a little better,” Nurse said. “We’ve just got to play better, and I think there were some signs of that.”

While the Sixers’ season continues to face challenges, Wednesday’s game served as a reminder of the team’s potential when they compete with heart and unity.