Maxey scores 30 as 76ers beat Knicks 116-107, ending New York’s six-game winning streak

By Canadian Press on December 19, 2025.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points, VJ Edgecombe had 23 and the Philadelphia 76ers became just the second visiting team to win at Madison Square Garden this season, beating the New York Knicks 116-107 on Friday night.

Andre Drummond, starting with Joel Embiid out because of an illness and right knee injury management, had 19 points and 13 rebounds. The center was 3 for 4 from 3-point range.

The 76ers snapped the Knicks’ six-game winning streak by outscoring them 28-20 in the fourth quarter, when Maxey scored 11 points and Jalen Brunson missed all five of his shots and was scoreless.

Brunson finished with 22 points, nine assists and six rebounds, but shot 7 for 22 a night after making the go-ahead 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds left in a victory at Indiana. Karl-Anthony Towns also scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

In their first home game since winning the NBA Cup on Tuesday, the Knicks fell to 13-2 at home. They had been off to their best start at MSG since 1992-93.

CELTICS 129, HEAT 116

BOSTON (AP) — Derrick White scored a season-high 33 points and tied a career-high with nine 3-pointers to help Boston pull away in the second half for a win over Miami.

Jaylen Brown added 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to help the Celtics snap a two-game losing skid. Anfernee Simons finished with 14 points.

The Celtics took control in the fourth quarter, using a 20-7 run to open a 112-96 lead. It grew to 19 points. Boston connected on 21 3-pointers on the night.

Kel’el Ware had 24 points and 14 rebounds for Miami, which has lost six of its last seven. Norman Powell added 18 points. Bam Adebayo finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Heat had 102 field goal attempts and connected on 19 3s but shot just 39% from the field overall.

Miami dropped to 5-9 on the road this season.

Rookie Kasparas Jakucionis added 17 and had five 3-pointers in his first career start.

Miami had only 10 players available with Tyler Herro out for the fifth time in six games with a toe injury, and Andrew Wiggins (lower back pain), Nikola Jovic (elbow), Davion Mitchell (sprained left ankle) and Pelle Larsson (sprained left ankle) all sidelined as well.

SPURS 126, HAWKS 98

ATLANTA (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points, Devin Vassell added 18, and San Antonio spoiled the first of a five-game home stretch for Atlanta with a win.

The win was the Spurs’ 20th of the season — a feat the team did not reach until Jan. 23 last season.

In his fourth game since returning from a calf injury that kept him sidelined for 12 games, Wembanyama added 12 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. It was the center’s first double-double since San Antonio’s Nov. 14 loss to Golden State.

Vassell was 4 of 9 beyond the three-point arc.

The Spurs led for 47:27 of 48 minutes and were up 68-44 by halftime. San Antonio extended its lead to 102-72 by the end of the third quarter, and all of the starters were done for the night midway through the fourth.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 23 points in his return to the starting lineup. He was 7 of 9 from the foul line and 7 of 18 from the field.

BULLS 136, CAVALIERS 125

CLEVELAND (AP) — Matas Buzelis and Nikola Vucevic each scored 24 points as Chicago pulled away in the fourth quarter for a victory over reeling Cleveland.

Vucevic, who also grabbed 15 rebounds, had 11 points and six boards in the fourth quarter as the Bulls won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 19.

Seven players scored in double figures for Chicago. Josh Giddey had 17 points and Tre Jones added 16 off the bench.

Darius Garland scored a season-high 35 for Cleveland, which was missing All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell due to illness. All-Star forward Evan Mobley will be sidelined for at least another week with a calf injury.

Rookie guard Tyrese Proctor scored 16 points in his first NBA start, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin had 15 off the bench.

The Cavaliers have dropped three straight and four of five. They’ve also lost five of their last six home games.

The game was tied at 115 before Chicago took control with a 17-8 run. Vucevic had seven points during the spurt, including a go-ahead layup.

The Associated Press