Jalen Brunson, Knicks Uplift Fans with Win vs. Tyrese Maxey, 76ers Despite KAT Injury

The vibes around the New York Knicks haven't been great after consecutive losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, the two teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings.

Luckily for the Knicks, the flailing Philadelphia 76ers were up next.

Led by Jalen Brunson's 34 points and seven assists and Mikal Bridges' 28 points, the Knicks ended their two game skid, beating the Sixers 110-105 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. And they did so without Karl-Anthony Towns, who missed the game due to a knee injury.

The Sixers, now losers of nine straight, were led by the star duo of Tyrese Maxey (30 points, 12-of-32 from the field, 0-of-10 from three) and Paul George (25 points, seven assists, seven turnovers), who just so happened to cook on the same day he announced a hiatus from his podcast. Joel Embiid missed yet another contest in his injury-plagued campaign.

It wasn't a pretty win for the Knicks, who blew a 19-point lead and trailed in the fourth quarter. But Bridges and Brunson had Knicks fans breathing a bit easier—and pundits easing away from their scathing takes—after they pulled off the victory:

This was probably the result both fan bases wanted.

While Knicks' fans would have preferred the team not blow a 19-point lead, gutting out a tough win after their recent struggles was a nice reprieve from the mounting concerns that the team remains a step below the elite teams in the NBA.

Philly fans, meanwhile, have basically punted on the season given the unrelenting injuries and underwhelming performances from their team, instead turning their attention to the keeping hold of the top-six protected pick they owe the Oklahoma City Thunder (alongside the NFL offseason and MLB spring training).

It's been a while since Sixers' fans have had tanking on the mind, but some were probably cheering on Brunson's late run with as much exuberance as their New York counterparts.