76ers at Knicks
After a rocky road trip, the New York Knicks will look to stay hot at home when they host Philadelphia in the traditional MLK Day matinee at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks were surging entering a two-game stretch away from the Garden, but they first fell at Brooklyn and then at Memphis on Saturday.
Leading scorer Carmelo Anthony missed both setbacks with a sprained right ankle and New York is now 0-4 on the season without its superstar. The Knicks have won four straight at home and four in a row over the 76ers, who are coming off a rare runaway win. Jahlil Okafor had 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way in a 114-89 rout of Portland on Saturday, snapping Philadelphia's four-game slide and allowing the club to recover from a blown lead in an overtime loss to Chicago two days earlier. "We felt like we threw one away the other night," coach Brett Brown said. "We think that we're playing good basketball lately and I think the games confirm that."
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (5-37): Rookie Richaun Holmes is one of many Philadelphia players whose playing time fluctuates as Brown tries different rotations, but he has made the most of his opportunities on the offensive end. The forward had 17 points in 27 minutes against Portland, his first double-digit effort since pouring in 17 points in 18 minutes in a win over Minnesota on Jan. 4. Holmes has played in four of the Sixers' five wins, averaging 10 points in 14.3 minutes on 65.2 percent shooting.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (20-22): Anthony did not rule out returning against the Sixers and New York has been able to keep star rookie Kristaps Porzingis active despite his sore shoulder. Porzingis led the Knicks with 17 points against the Grizzlies and has reached double digits in eight straight games, one shy of matching his season high. The holiday matinee begins a stretch in which New York plays 10 out of 13 games at home.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Anthony is averaging 14 points - 7.6 below his season mark - while shooting 30 percent in two wins over Philadelphia.
2. 76ers SG Nik Stauskas (shoulder) missed the game against Portland but is expected to return Monday.
3. Philadelphia is 0-24 against the Eastern Conference.