James and Maxey fuel Sixers in NBA Cup clash

LeBron James on Friday scored 20 points including a late tip-in to help seal the Philadelphia 76ers’ 98-93 victory over NBA champions the New York Knicks.

The 76ers notched their second win of the young season over the Knicks after spoiling their championship banner-raising with a victory at Madison Square Garden on opening night.

The win had a double edge as Friday’s games marked the start of the fourth edition of the NBA Cup, the NBA in-season tournament won by the Knicks before they went on to beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals for their first championship since 1973.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ LeBron James and V.J. Edgecombe interact during their NBA Cup game against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday.

Photo: AP

Group-stage Cup games are to be played throughout this month, all counting in the regular-season standings. Quarter-finals are scheduled for Dec. 4 and 5, with the semi-finals on Dec. 8 and 9 before the final on Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points to lead the Sixers, who took control early against the sloppy Knicks.

They led by 14 in the third quarter and weathered a late Knicks surge.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic, left, falls as Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors controls the ball during their NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

Photo: AFP

Jalen Brunson’s step-back three-pointer put New York up 90-89 with 1 minute, 32 seconds remaining.

James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, answered with a basket that put Philadelphia back in front and pushed the lead to 96-91 with a tip-in off a Maxey miss with 11.9 seconds left.

James, 41, added nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal and a vintage chase-down block in what 76ers coach Nick Nurse called his best game since joining as a free agent in June.

“I thought he was really good all the way through,” Nurse said. “When we got some downhill stuff he used his size and knocked them around a little bit for some layups ... kind of pushed and organized it.”

“He’s been good, but that was his best game, for sure,” he added.

Brunson led New York with 24 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who fell to 2-4.

The Dallas Mavericks, fueled by 35 points from Kyrie Irving and 33 from Cooper Flagg, rallied to hand the Houston Rockets their first defeat of the season 116-111.

Golden State star Stephen Curry scored 31 points to lead the Warriors to a 112-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in a rollercoaster contest in San Francisco.

The night’s abiding image was of Luka Doncic crashing to the floor as he was wrong-footed by Curry — who fired over him for a three-pointer.

Curry took his career points tally to 26,674, surpassing Dominique Wilkins (26,668) for 18th on the all-time scoring list.

In Boston, the Celtics romped to a 125-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons shook off a slow start to hand the winless Nets a 110-94 defeat, the Washington Wizards downed the Charlotte Hornets 95-79, the Orlando Magic beat the Toronto Raptors 121-114, Minnesota Timberwolves outdid the Los Angeles Clippers 127-101 and the Miami Heat 145, Pacers 125.

In Phoenix, Arizona, Suns forward Dillon Brooks was ejected in their 127-120 loss to the Denver Nuggets for kicking Jamal Murray in the groin.

Brooks attempted a turnaround jumper in the third quarter with Murray guarding and when Brooks fell backward, he kicked his right leg forward, making contact with Murray.

Brooks was called for an offensive foul and Murray was writhing in pain on the court for a few moments before eventually getting up and staying in the game.

The officials reviewed the play and upgraded the foul to a flagrant 2, which is an automatic ejection.

Murray said post-game that he did not believe the kick was intentional and that he and Brooks are “buddies.”

They are teammates on the Canada national team.

“No, of course not,” Murray said. “He’s shooting the ball. I mean, he might have flopped a little bit, but I don’t think he’s really trying to kick me in the” groin.