The Philadelphia 76ers made a statement against the defending NBA champions Tuesday night, and Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson was paying attention.
Following Philadelphia’s 106-100 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 20, Johnson took to social media to praise the Sixers’ second-half defense and identify an unexpected difference-maker in their season-opening win.
While LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey commanded much of the attention, Johnson singled out Anfernee Simons, whose shooting helped swing the game in Philadelphia’s favor.
The key to the Sixers victory was Anfernee Simons’s 3 threes in the second half and 13 total points off
Magic Johnson Praises 76ers Defense, Singles Out Anfernee Simons
Johnson was particularly impressed with Philadelphia’s response after entering halftime trailing the Knicks by four points.
“I was very impressed with the Sixers defense in the second half of the Sixers vs. Knicks game!” Johnson wrote on X. “They had six guys end in double figures – led by Tyrese Maxey with 28 points.”
But it was Johnson’s assessment of the decisive performance that stood out.
“The key to the Sixers victory was Anfernee Simons’s 3 threes in the second half and 13 total points off the bench,” Johnson added.
Simons’ contribution was significant for a Philadelphia team featuring four established stars in James, Brown, Maxey and Joel Embiid.
The reserve guard provided timely offense when the Sixers needed it most, hitting three second-half 3-pointers as Philadelphia worked its way back into the game.
Simons helped keep Philadelphia’s offense afloat during a third-quarter stretch with James on the bench.
The Sixers ultimately outscored New York 29-18 in the third quarter, finishing the period with an 11-0 run to seize control.
That sequence illustrated something particularly encouraging for Philadelphia: Its supporting cast can punish defenses that devote too much attention to the team’s biggest names.
76ers Defense Delivers Against Jalen Brunson, Knicks
Johnson’s praise of Philadelphia’s defense was backed up by the numbers.
The Knicks shot just 37.2% from the field in their season opener, with Jalen Brunson scoring 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting.
More importantly, Philadelphia held New York to just 42 second-half points, frustrating an offense that had powered the Knicks to the NBA championship the previous season.
The Sixers were especially effective late.
The Knicks scored on just two of their final eight possessions after cutting Philadelphia’s lead to one point with 4:37 remaining.
Brown, James and Embiid each played important roles in the defensive effort, while Maxey delivered a crucial late steal and dunk.
Philadelphia also showed a different approach to defending Brunson’s pick-and-roll opportunities involving Embiid.
NBA.com’s analysis noted that New York generated only five points on 14 possessions involving those screening actions, a stark contrast to the success the Knicks enjoyed against Philadelphia during the previous postseason.
For a Sixers team whose star-heavy roster raised questions about its defensive cohesion, the performance offered an encouraging early answer.
LeBron James, Jaylen Brown Make Strong First Impression With 76ers
The win also marked a successful opening night for Philadelphia’s two marquee offseason additions.
James, beginning his NBA-record 24th season, finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his first regular-season game with the Sixers.
Brown added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Maxey led all scorers with 28 points.
Embiid recorded 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists despite shooting just 4-of-15 from the field.
The Sixers didn’t need an overwhelming offensive performance from any single superstar. They needed contributions throughout the rotation, timely shooting and enough defensive execution to finish the job.
That’s what made Johnson’s assessment noteworthy.
On a night built around James’ Philadelphia debut and New York’s championship banner ceremony, the Hall of Famer identified Simons’ bench scoring and the Sixers’ collective defense as the biggest reasons for the result.
Philadelphia will attempt to build on that performance when it hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, October 22.
Magic Johnson Sends Strong Message To 76ers After Knicks Win