James closes out Knicks as 76ers improve to 5-1

LeBron James supplied a go-ahead jumper and a late putback as Philadelphia beat New York 98-93, improving to 5-1 while the Knicks fell to 2-4. [2][8] The 41-year-old finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the performance coach Nick Nurse called his best yet with the 76ers. [2][3] New York erased an 11-point fourth-quarter lead but could not complete the comeback. [2] Why it matters: All five Philadelphia victories have come in clutch time, making late-game execution central to its early record. [2] For the defending champion Knicks, another comeback fell short amid offensive problems that coach Mike Brown attributed to trying for a “home run” rather than simpler plays. [8] Key insights: James’ putback left Philadelphia five points ahead with 11.9 seconds remaining, turning his rebounding into a decisive late possession. [2] | James now has 68 games with at least 20 points since turning 40, exceeding the combined 67 by every other NBA player aged 40 or older. [2] | New York shot 40.7% overall and 31.7% from three-point range; Brown emphasized simpler offense, while Jalen Brunson stressed starting games the right way. [8] Cheatsheet facts: What happened: The 76ers won 98-93 behind James’ 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. [2] | Why: After New York erased Philadelphia’s fourth-quarter lead, James answered with a jumper and a late putback. [2] | Who pays: The Knicks dropped to 2-4 while Philadelphia improved to 5-1. [2][8] | The catch: All five Sixers wins have required clutch-time execution; this one followed the loss of an 11-point fourth-quarter advantage. [2]